Brothers in Arms
by Tusk Act IV
Summary: In which Jaune Arc finds out that there are two Gods sealed in his family heirloom and tries to start his own religion.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own neither the series nor the characters**

* * *

Crocea Mors.

The Yellow Death.

Initially wielded by Laetica Arc, the sword and shield combination was said to be the first mechashift weapon to be used in a major battle. The blade was said to render a mountain of Grimm into dust with a single swing. The shield was rumored to not bend even under the pressure of a Goliath's full stomp.

Many an Arc had wielded it into battle yet it has never been said to have failed the family name. Many a hero it had created and saved. It was just as much an heirloom to their family as the very blood running through their veins.

The sword promised victory.

The shield promised glory.

To the wielder, to the next Arc hero, Crocea Mors would be the first stop to becoming a legend.

And that person would be, him, Jaune Arc.

"Yeah, I don't buy it."

Jaune turned to his sister next to him, pouting on her interruption and lack of faith. Didn't she see he was on a roll? That this was meant to be his moment. His look of indignation did not change her own skeptical one, however.

"I mean, isn't that just what Violet uses to get something under the couch." Saphron had never heard any of these so called "legends" on the family heirloom. She had seen it used to get the remote when it fell out fo reach beneath the couch.

"You just don't get it, Saphron." Jaune shook his head, unbelieving of his sister's lack of faith and whimsy. as he really the only one who went to visit nana to hear of old Arc tales?

"What I do get though is that you're still trying to be a Hunter." Saphron turned a pointed look at him. "Didn't Dad tell you to give up on that stuff?"

"Dad will warm up to it." was Jaune's flippant reply. Both their father and mother had been against Jaune when he randomly declared that he wanted to be a Huntsman. It was obvious that their warnings didn't stick to her fifteen year old brother.

Saphron turned from her brother to the weapon he was still staring at. It didn't even look that impressive as Jaune's eyes shined better than the dusty old heirloom.

Well, it wasn't really her place to judge. As his Sister, she'd support him by not interesting with what he wanted to do. A passive support for siblings. Besides, if it really was dangerous than she knew her parents and the others would step in.

For now, she'd support his dreams in the best way a sister should.

"Well, good luck with that. If you're really going to use the old reacher than make sure to give it a good polish. Although, don't go polishing your sword too much eh?"

She nudged Jaune with her elbow but frowned when he didn't react to her entrendre. Terra would have loved that one. Maybe, she should go send it to her.

Jaune didn't even turn as his sister went back up the stairs and left him alone in the basement. He was too busy admiring his future partners, his ticket out of his house and into the history books.

He just stood there in silence, almost as if he was waiting for something to happen. it It was just him and Crocea Mors. In Jaune's head, he saw himself wielding the pair out to battle Grimm, a fair maiden by his side. And they were both on horses. The fantasy drew a goofy grin on hs face.

Maybe...

Jaune took a quick glance up the steps. Even if it was impossible, he also tried to ehar if anyone else was nearby.

"..."

Nothing.

Knowing the coast was clear, the blonde reached up and took the heirloom from their place on the wall. Sword in one hand and shield in another, Jaune Arc did the one thing any boy his age would do.

"Swish! Pow! Take that!" With exaggerated sounds from his mouth, Jaune slashed, bashed, and did stuff he thought would look cool if anyone was watching. Moves he has seen in movies and videos.

If anyone were to see him right now, the first thought they'd think of would be-

[Pathetic]

Jaune froze. While it was true, the weapons were much heavier than he had expected, he had stopped for a different reason.

[He's too tired to even keep me up for five minutes.]

Again, suddenly, a voice had spoken up from...somewhere. Jaune looked around the Arc family basement, looking for the source of the voice. "Hello?"

No reply.

He turned his eyes, to seek for one of his sisters or even a speaker. May had once tricked him into believing there was a ghost with a hidden speaker.

"If that's you May, this isn't funny! Saphron already told me ghosts don't exist."

[Oh great. Now he's even scared of ghosts.]

"I'm not scared of any ghosts!" Jaune yelled back, though he did hold his weapons closer. Just in case.

For a moment, there was silence once more. And then, the same voice spoke up.

[You can hear me?]

"Yeah, of course, I can hear you!" Jaune was now really on edge. The voice was now addressing him. Was he really having a conversation with the dead? "And I'm not afraid, you hear?"

[...Interesting. You are the first to have heard me since that bitch locked me in here.]

Bitch? Jaune didn't know what the voice spoke was saying. "Well, you're welcome to leave. There's no need for any ghosts in my house!"

[Ghost? I'm no ghost, son of man.]

It was then that Jaune realized that the voice wasn't coming from anywhere specific. Rather, it sounded like it came directly from his noggin.

He also realized his shield was glowing purple.

"Ah!" With a totally not girlish shriek, Jaune tossed the shield aside as if it was on fire. The shield clanged, noisily on the floor before finally settling down.

[Hey! Watch it!]

As if conforming his thoughts, the shield glowed purple every time the voice spoke up.

"W-what are you?!" half-asked half-demanded Jaune as he used both of his hands to point his sword at the shield in front of him.

The shield, ghost, spirit, whatever it was remained silent.

Jaune continued to point the sword at the shield but eventually, after what had to be five minutes of no reply and his own aching arms, he slowly lowered his weapon.

Maybe, he had just imagined it?

[Son of Arc!]

And just as he lowered his guard, the shield spoke up, glowing an other worldly purple that filled the room with light.

[You ask who I am? I am the spirit of this weapon! The very one who has led every Arc into battle! I have chosen you as the next hero, worthy of wielding me!]

Jaune's jaw dropped just like the sword in his hands. "So...so you're really the Crocea Mors?"

[...sure. Anyways, you wanted to be a hero or something, right?]

"Yes! Of course!" Jaune nodded, his mind going a mile a minute. This was just like his Mistrallian comics! He always knew he was going to become a hero! "I'm going to become a Hunter and save people from the Grimm!"

[Then Son of Arc, pick up that sword and repeat after me.]

Jaune did so, holding the sword in a salute he had seen other hunters use on television.

By Shield of Dark of unlit night,

Make Destruction and Creation's paths unite.

Let all past Knowledge and Choice rewrite;

Awaken sword of unseen Light!

As soon as Jaune yelled the final words, he expected something to happen. He wasn't entirely sure what. Maybe, the sword would glow? Maybe, angels would appear to crown him? Even a certificate popping up would have been better than nothing.

However, nothing was what he got. He was still alone holding a heavy sword in his parent's basement. He decided to bring it up with the spirit. "Is...is something supposed to happen?"

[Well, it takes a while for a new spell to work. I had to make it on the spot after all]

"Spells, what are you-" Whatever thoughts Jaune had was stopped as he suddenly felt something. He wasn't entirely sure what it was but something was being done to his body. If he were to describe it he felt as if he was getting more and more tired as time went on, like he was being drained.

"What's...going..."

Jaune dropped to his knees, his hand still holding the sword. If he had tried, he may have noticed he wouldn't be able to let go even if he wanted to. He struggled, trying to keep himself up but eventually he fell face flat on the floor of the basement

All the while the shield was silent, not saying a word to Jaune's struggles.

[What...how am I...]

A voice spoke out. Jaune would have thought of it as his own but he was too tired to even move his mouth. Now, he found it hard enough to keep his eyes open. As his mind fell into darkness, he could barely catch what sounded like a conversation.

[Brother! You have awakened!]

[Brother? So this was your doing? What...what have you done?]

[I fed you enough so you can awaken! Together, we could finally free ourselves and-]

[What have you done!? All of his potential! All gone!]

Hearing those last words, Jaune Arc blacked out.

* * *

When Jaune woke to, he wasn't really surprised that now the sword was talking too. it was just unfortunate that he didn't suddenly grow abs after his transformation much like in the movies.

[Greetings. I am the God of Light. My brother told me you are Jaune correct?]

Sitting on the floor cross-legged, Jaune nodded. Compared to the purple glow of the shield, whenever the sword spoke, a yellow light accompanied it. It took another moment for Jaune to realize that the sword probably couldn't see him nod.

"Yeah, I'm Jaune, you're next hero." Jaune couldn't help but grin. This was just like his comic books. A sealed god in a weapon, a chosen hero, this was all the makings of an legendary adventure.

[Well then, Jaune, I'd like to first thank you for awakening me even if my brother had to trick you to do so.]

"Wait. Trick? Wasn't this just how to awaken my powers or something?" Jaune blinked at his words. "Wasn't he the spirit of Crocea Mors?"

[That is not entirely accurate. He is no spirit but the God of Darkness. He made you cast a new spell to transfer all of your current and future aura reserves to me. It was just enough to awaken me. I'd like to apologize for what you unintentionally had given up yet thank you all the same.]

"It's no problem." Jaune really didn't know what this aura thing the sword was talking about but it couldn't have been that important if he got a talking sword for a trade. "So what happened exactly?"

The sword's voice grew solemn as it spoke once more. [I can not ascertain when but my brother and I were summoned once more and sealed into these vassals. Eventually, most of my power faded away and I remained dormant until you had awoken me once more.]

[It's because you were used to kill the Grimm while I had to be stuck taking their hits] The shield nearby spoke up, purple light mixing in with the yellow.

"I...I think I get it." Jaune suddenly stood up. He's read enough comics and played enough games to figure out what to do next. "So, to save the world, I need to go out and recover your powers right?"

This was just like Ephemeral End.

[If you are willing to, then yes.] answered the sword. [A part of my power resides in four relics that I had created in the past. If you can find them, I can absorb their power and perhaps do something about my current state.]

Four crystals or macguffins to find? Check.

[As for me,] the shield spoke up. [All you need to do is to kill Grimm. The more Grimm you kill, the more energy I collect. The stronger the Grimm, the better.]

Leveling up mechanic? Check.

[Jaune Arc, will you be...]

"Yes! Of course, I'll help! This is the kind of thing I've been waiting for!" Jaune practically screamed. This was what he needed to do! This was what he had dreamed of! Recognition! Glory! Legend!

Today, started the beginning of his own epic saga!

"I'll be your hero!"

[Excellent, Excellent. However there seems to be a misunderstanding.]

The words of the sword brought Jaune back down from his high. He looked down at the glowing sword. If it had a face, he felt like it'd be averting it's eyes."What do you mean?"

[You see, Jaune. While it is true that my brother and I can regain our abilities through the relics or the slaying of Grimm, those are just minor boosts at best. What we really need is something else.]

"I'm not following."

A purple aura answered Jaune's confusion. [You see son of man, we don't need a hero. Rather, what we really want is a prophet.]

* * *

"Saph, can you call Jaune? Dinner's ready."

"Fine." At the behest of her mother, Saphron Arc got up from the family couch and headed to the basement where she last saw her brother.

As she headed down the stairs, she could hear slight conversation although the only voice she heard was Jaune's own. It almost sounded like he was talking to himself.

When she finally reached the bottom, she noticed a few things. First was that Jaune had taken down Crocea Mors and both the sword and shield were now on the table in front of him. Next was that her brother looked to be painting something on what looked ot be a wooden board.

"Mom's calling." was her only greeings to say that she was there. Her brother didn't look up so she moved closer, enough to look over his shoulder. "Whatcha doing?"

"Well, Saff." Her brother turned to her and looked up with those big blue Arc eyes of his. Uncertainty and a sense of resignment were reflected in those pools. "I'm starting my own religion."

In front of him, painted in white and black, the words "Brotherhood of Shadow"

Saphron Arc took one look at the sign and then turned around to yell back up at the house.

"Moooom! Jaune's starting a cult!

* * *

 **AN: You know that feeling when you literally need to right something just because of the title? I thought up the pun and it wouldn't go away in my mind so I shit this out in two hours.**

 **So anyways, basically I thought what to do if the GoD and GoL were sealed in Crocea Mors. Now, the easy way was to have Jaune be a uber badass who kicks ass with these godly companions. However, that shit is boring. Like what the fuck would you do with that story that hasn't been done before?**

 **So instead, Jaune has to start his own religion/cult to get people to start worshipping the two Gods again so they may regain their power. Think going for a religious victory in Civilization.** **Initially, Jaune would have been a kid but I thought that having him go to Beacon as this weird missionary would be fun. Give him three years to get started.**

 **Also, yes, he has no aura. It's a balancer when you have two creation gods stuck in your weapons.**

 **Finally, don't ask about DR fics please. I'll still do some when I feel like it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own neither the series nor the characters.**

* * *

When Sapphron had heard her brother wanted to start a cult (well, in his own words, "bring back a long dead religion), a plethora of emotions had gone through her.

Shock, surprise, even a small pinch of curiosity before settling down to a state of "eh".

To be fair, that was how Sapphron reacted to most things.

She did, however, also felt an odd combination of apprehension and excitement for what was to come. It sounded downright fantastical, that her younger brother was about to go out and start his own religion. There wasn't much for a young lady like her left to do in Ansel before she moved out to Mistral in the upcoming months. Getting wrapped up in some wacky adventure seemed like the perfect way to cap-off moving out of her home town.

It would have provided a hell of a story for Terra too.

Unfortunately, Sapphron had forgotten something important.

And the results of that was lazily sitting on their family couch, using the old family heirloom to switch the channel of their TV. Oddly enough, followed by placing it on the seat next to him, as if it was watching along with him.

That's right, Sapphron had forgotten her brother, Jaune Arc was…to put it nicely, flippant.

Jaune was the type to get excited about one thing and then totally forget about it. Poet? His poetry was awful and he gave up in a month after realizing he couldn't make a living out of it. Musician? They had a guitar also known as the hat rack 2.0. Dance Guru? That one did last but it was a shame his dance troupe broke apart. Also, that you apparently needed more than one person to be in one.

The latest one that had latest for quite a while was Hunter. Sapphron blamed the comics for that one. The worst was that this one was rather dangerous so when Jaune had declared he wanted to start a religion or something everyone in the family happily went with the asinine idea. Even if it would be somewhat ironic that the only Arc son would become some sort of priest.

And now, it seemed that had reached its end.

Sapphron approached her brother on the couch, eyeing the large stack of (hand-made) flyers next to him.

"How'd the haul go today?"

"Nothing, as usual." Jaune replied, eyes still on the TV. "I don't get why it's so hard to get people to join up my religion."

"Well…" Sapphron took one of the flyers. All it had printed on it was some weird symbol and that cult-y name. "It would help if people knew exactly what this was about? Like what would they gain from this?"

It had been two weeks and Sapphron herself didn't know what it was. From the few times she asked her brother, all she could get were some vague answers about believing in the Two Brothers or something. It sounded like even Jaune didn't know what he was offering which must have led to him not getting anyone to join him up.

From the way he came home every night with a stack of untouched flyers, it seemed like that was the case. It was almost sad how unprepared he seemed to be but Sapphron liked to think her brother was smarter than that and would first think of the necessities in things before jumping into them.

Well, it wasn't like he would've tried to become a hunter without any prior training or experience, right?

As if to prove her point, Jaune turned to her and shrugged. "I done now. The knowledge that something out there is helping you or that there's a power out there you can believe in wholeheartedly?"

"Like Mom to her soap operas?" Sapphron shook the flyer in her hand. "I mean, if you're really serious about this than why did you choose a fairy tale of all things?"

"Uhm…" Jaune quickly glanced to Crocea Mors before shrugging. "It came to me in a dream?"

"And why the Two Brothers of all things? I mean, that will definitely draw away the female crowd." Sapphron paused for a moment in thought. "Or maybe not for a certain type."

"You got me there Saph." Jaune shook his head before suddenly glaring to Crocea Mors by his side. "What? How was I supposed to know you both didn't have any down there?"

Sapphron ignored the spectacle of Jaune arguing with the weapon. This new habit of his was somewhat worrisome and there were close to staging a family intervention but they decided to use the funds for that for Sapphron's going away fund which she didn't mind at all. If she could get herself a nicer apartment with Terra than Jaune could talk to his weapon as much as he wants. Besides, the twins had theorized Jaune was just jealous of how they both finished each other's sentences.

Better than calling it his babies or whatever. Now that was for full socially awkward weirdos.

She turned back to the flyer while Jaune turned back to the television blaring something about a Solar Eclipse later. While they've had their fair share of them, this one was being quite hyped up as it was a rare once in a century or moment when the moon's debris wasn't too far apart from each other and created a perfect circle. Although what did draw Sapphron's attention was the symbol on the flyer. It was oddly familiar and, knowing her brother, was downright plagiarized by something he had seen in the attic. After all, the only comic book characters he had come up with were knock-offs like Y-ray and Ziz.

"Hey, bro. Where'd you get this symbol anyways?"

"Uhh…someone told me about it."

"Weren't you the only one down there in the attic when you made it?"

"I meant, someone told me about it before and I realized it would be a great symbol for my religion." Jaune obviously lied which Sapphron let go. Whatever. Still, it was oddly…

"Ah!" Having an epiphany, the female Arc lifted a fist in the air, unintentionally also crumping the flyer Jaune had worked hard on in her hand. "Now, I remember! Wasn't this the same one on the old shrine out back?"

Being kids in a rural area, there was not much to do in Ansel except to explore the nearby forest. It a place that was surprisingly void of Grimm and the Arc siblings had used that for many a game of hide and seek. And, in the barest of Sapphron's memories, was a set of steps that led to an old abandoned shrine…or hobo shack. Hard to say with how dilapidated and overrun by nature it was.

Really, she only remembered it because she could never forget being dared by everyone else to go in only to be run away when she heard something moving nearby. That symbol had been the first thing she noticed before screaming and getting the dodge out of there.

Such a test of courage was an Arc sibling tradition, done when a sibling turned thirteen. No doubt Jaune must have stolen it from there when it was his turn, even unconsciously.

Sapphron turned back to the sofa, excited to explain to Jaune to what she found…only to find him missing. The family heirloom that had been next to him was missing as well. The wind coming in grabbed Sapphron's attention to see that the front door was now open, as if someone had fled and would definitely be punished for not closing it properly.

Could it be?

Meanwhile, Jaune, who had just gotten up to get a soda, bringing along with him Crocea Mors, froze. His eyes widened.

Of course! The old shrine out back! Maybe, that could give him a hint on what to do next!

He should definitely check that out…after he got his snack. No need to rush, it wasn't going anywhere.

* * *

Jaune brought his arm down once more, the sword in his hand cleaving through with little to no resistance. a sword that hadn't been once maintained throughout all those decades it hadn't been used was as sharp as any other weapon.

A path of destruction was all that was left from his wake. His right arm was already aching just from holding up Crocea Mors much less swinging it any longer. Yet it felt like he wasn't even half way through with his battle.

Willing his body to move, Jaune grit his teeth as he raised the sword once more and swung down, letting gravity help with powering its slice.

The tree branch fell, having been chopped off its owner. It joined the other various branches and shrubberies that Jaune has cut down as he made his way through one of Ansel's many backwoods.

 _Odd. It does seem like there truly aren't any Grimm here._

A voice spoke up in Jaune's head, its inflections almost synchronizing with the yellow glow of Crocea Mors. It was almost as if the weapon was talking but there was never that sense of distance.

"Well, yeah." The sole prophet replied, in between huffs. It was nice to be able to talk to them without anyone looking at him funny. "This part of the woods never had any Grimm. I think because no one lives here so nothing draws them in is what I heard."

 _While the Son of Man is right in one sense, he was also wrong in the other that the Grimm lands were teeming with Grimm and no one dared live there even if they wanted to. Either something is keeping the Grimm out...or eliminated them regularly._

This time the shield, still in its sheath mode hanging by his waist, glowed purple as the God of Darkness spoke up. Jaune found it unfair that he was the only one able to see these glows when they spoke up while the rest of his family couldn't

 _That must mean this shrine being devoted to us can hold some truth. Even now I feel a slight pull towards our direction._

 _No, that's just from all the swinging the human is doing. Well, even a base will do for now._

 _Indeed. We should've started with getting a shrine set up before recruitment. Rather than coming to the masses, they first need a place to know where to find us like of old._

"People used to do that?"

 _Back when we were still of this world, yes._ The God of Light agreed. _It was always odd that that initially brought me young sheep only to kill them in front of me. It took a while before the humans got that out of their system._

"And you did what they ask for? Wishes?"

 _While I am no Djinn, I did grant favors within reason. As long as it wasn't asking for much._

 _Which meant he never did._ Interrupted the God of Darkness. _Understand Son of Man that the age back then was when humans could still use magics of their own. You can only imagine the kind of requests mortals who could already control the elements would need a God for._

"Like what? Bringing back the dead?" A silence was Jaune's reply, one he could tell was not from a lack of answer but forcibly given. As he cut down another branch, he changed the topic. "So, you they went to both of you for favors, I think I get that. Was there a difference? Or just preference?

Silence was back only this time it was definitely the type where the God of Darkness didn't want to speak up in. In his stead, the God of Light answered.

 _For whatever reason, my sibling resided in lands that were teeming with Grimm and dangerous obstacles so rarely would there be a person who'd come to him._

 _...few did. Only the most desperate. I only wanted to hear those that would dare traverse such lands to ask the favor of a God._

Still, Jaune thought, as he cut down a particularly thick foliage, it sounded much lonelier than necessary.

 _I can sense your rude thoughts, Son of Man._

Before Jaune could react, the purple light that enveloped his shield disappeared. He could almost imagine hearing a condescending "Hmph!".

Trying not to feel too bad about what he couldn't have prevented, Jaune shook his head and continued making a path through the overgrown forest. Of course, he wasn't just doing this for the exercise or needless destruction.

If he created a straight path here to the shrine then it would be easy for people to visit. Or, at least, that was the plan. As he swatted down another innocent tree branch, something the God of Darkness had mentioned popped up in his head.

"Hey, uh. God of Light?" He stopped mid-swing to address the sword, or the god in the sword. "You sure you're okay with this.

 _It is of no concern Jaune. Being trapped in a sword is not the same as having your body trapped in a swinging device. There are no organs that trigger nausea or anything that would simulate the feeling of being dizzy. As I am, I am just a sword. It is still quite refreshing to have been awoken after so long."_

Jaune couldn't even begin to wrap his head around the idea. Even if he imagined it, he still would think of it as his body substituting for his weapon with his torso for the blade. Or would that be his legs? His arms?

"Also, is it really okay if I use you like this?" 'This' being a glorified hedge trimmer. "Your power won't run out?"

 _I suppose it is a good time to bring it up. My brother's spell had connected all three of us together. You now only have the slimmest amounts of what you humans call aura as it had used up your future potential reserves as well._

"Like...time travel?"

 _Not entirely. Whether you die today or in the next century, you humans have potential. That was tapped into to not only reawaken me but also to link all three of us together. To put it plainly, it was as if you traded your ability to ever drive one of those automobiles to walk alongside my brother and I._

"So, I lost all of this aura, right?" Whatever that was. "I can't use it?"

 _That you still have it is part of our connection. However, it is rather minimal. I believe you should be able to take exactly one hit before it breaks, no matter how strong or how weak the blow is._

"Huh."

So, a onetime save? Jaune could live with that. Who needed a force field when he had a shield anyways? Putting asides any of his other worries, Jaune continued his "gardening" while the God of Light quieted down, perhaps to conserve energy.

After around an hour what felt like a full work-out, Jaune had never been so glad to see a set of stairs, forgetting entirely that he still had to climb it. His arm was numb, he was breathing heavily, and his heart felt like it was about to explode out of his chest. Thankfully, he had only come in his trademark Pumpkin Pete hoodie and jeans.

He'd probably have fainted half way if he had tried on some armor. Maybe he should have listened to all those times his sisters told him to start training if he wanted to be a Hunstman?

However, just as Jaune was about to face plant himself on the steps, he felt his body freeze. Not from the muscle failure, but from a soft sound.

Ring.

It sounded like a bell.

 _Something is there._

The God of Darkness spoke up, having come back from his exile. Jaune felt it too. An overpowering stare that threatened pushed down on his whole being. And it was coming from above.

Feeling the tire in his body be replaced by wary and worry, Jaune looked up. More on instinct, his shield was out and raised.

At the top of the steps stood a beast he had never seen before. Its light grey body was almost as tall as he was even if it was just sitting up on its hind, with the front right foot propped up on a large marble ball the size of his head. Its legs were muscular, each one looking as thick as a tree trunk. He'd have called it a lion but it looked too fierce be one with the head resembling closer to the dragons he'd seen in picture books.

But what really drew his breath were the flames. The mane and tale curled like white hot fire. They shifted in place as if they were live flames. Even its hot breath created steam, it's large muscular chest softly moving the golden bell attached to a gold necklace it wore.

On instinct, he knew this was what had always scared his sisters when they went up here. Not just them...possibly even the Grimm. While it sat there regally, watching him with a judging stare, Jaune knew it could pounce on him on a moment's notice, crushing his skull with one swipe of its paws.

He tried, out of pure self-preservation, to raise his sword once more but his arm, having never swung a sword in his life, was practically numb after all that forest slashing. He could've switched it to his other hand but knew having a working arm hold up his heavier shield was more important.

At least, his mouth was still working.

"That's..."

 _...Not a Grimm._

Jaune's eyes widened at the God of Darkness' words. That thing, the beast before him, wasn't a Grimm!? Just what were they feeding the animals here in Ansel!? He knew he was in the right when told his mom they shouldn't have started to use those super fertilizers that made larger crops! Now they created large flame lions!

All for what, mom? Larger than usual tomatoes!? He preferred them cherry sized, thank you.

W-well, he had two (depowered) gods, right? There was no way he'd lose...probably.

With what he hoped was an impressive stance, Jaune raised the sword in one hand to awkwardly tap his shield in the other. He hoped it would show dominance, that there was no need to fight.

That only had the flame beast get up from its resting position on all fours, it's tale of white blue flames even more apparent now. The rest of its body lacked fur so the tensing of powerful muscles underneath grey smooth skin was apparent. Even nature itself seemed to hold its breath, as the wind dramatically stopped.

...Welp, it was a good life.

Jaune raised the shield before him, closing his eyes and bracing for the impact of death.

He waited...and waited...any time now.

When his bones still weren't crushed, Jaune dared to open his eyes to see the beast still up there, still watching him, before, finally, turning around and walking back to the shrine.

"Is it...not going to attack?" Jaune asked warily, peeking out from over his shield to the now absent beast.

 _I believe it means you no harm for now. Rather than an attacker, that animal felt more like a guardian._

 _If it wanted us destroyed, Son of Man, it would have done so without revealing itself._

Both made a fairly good point, the God of Darkness even more so with how monstrous the thing looked. So, with his past fatigue behind him and also thanks to a healthy dose of not wanting to keep the thing waiting, Jaune made his way up the long set of stairs.

When he finally got to the top, the beast was nowhere to be seen with only the image of the old Shrine entering his view.

The Shrine was still as rundown as it was in Jaime's memories, maybe even more so, as he walked up to the entrance. It was probably mostly red like the pictures he's seen of such in his Minstralian comics but time and overgrown moss could only leave him guessing. The pointed roof had holes where sunlight seeped through. The building was, at least, rather tall, something definitely majestic in its heyday.

When he finally reached the main entrance, the doors were already open if it had ever been closed. The wooden sliding double doors were wrapped in moss and vines, another hint that they had been open for a long while now, possibly even since the last time he's been there.

He couldn't remember if he ever closed the things during his test of courage.

The main building of the shrine was really just one large area. The holes on the roof provided great illumination to what was on the ground, a large image of the symbol Jaune had made up back when he had first met the two Gods.

A large Yin Yang sign was sprawled across the ground.

The large bicolored sphere drew his attention the most as there wasn't anything else that could really be called worth looking at. On one wall was a large board with nails sticking out of it. There were a few pieces of wood hanging from it but it was mostly worn down and clearly needed replacement. The walls of the shrine didn't hold any images and if they did, they had faded long over time.

At least the colors of the four central pillars were still there, although that may have been just from their build of presumably marble and obsidian with two white and the two others black.

Jaune made his way to the center of the shrine, right at the center of the symbol on the floor, but glancing around it really was just empty. No doubt robbers, animals, or just the simple passage of time had ride of anything inside.

Was this really going to be his new base?

"So, you guys can't just magic up to fix this place up?" He asked his weapons hopefully.

 _If we had more power, perhaps. But now the best we could is glow, replied the God of Light. I'll admit it does need some work._

 _Are you kidding? This is already better than any shrine I had._

 _May I remind you, brother, that you didn't have a shrine. Just the landscape of destroyed earth._

There was a pause and Jaune had the oddest feeling if his shield could shrug it would. Still, this didn't exactly fill him with confidence.

Perhaps jumping into this whole prophet thing without much thought was a bad idea?

 _Jaune!_

 _Behind you!_

Two voices yelled in his head and, more in instinct than practice, Jaune turned around, barely avoided tripping over his feet, and raised his shield to meet face to face with the beast he saw earlier.

It was close, barely a few feet away. There was no time to attack to defend. He might as well have been already dead.

However, the large beast, instead of raising a claw or leaping at him, simply lowered its head to drop something by Jaune's feet. Something dark shaped like a rectangle besides the slightly larger triangle on the top.

Jaune held up his weapons, unsure of what to do and hoping he could catch any sudden attacks. The beast stood unmoving, never having moved after having dropped whatever it was. It almost felt like it was waiting. Waiting for him.

After another tense minute, the Arc swallowed.

"I…I think I have a bad idea."

Slowly, Jaune started to crouch, never once taking his eyes of the monster. Leaning down he took the piece of wood with his free hand, his shield strapped to his arm. He then held it up to give it a good look. The paper pasted to it was faded yellow but, somehow, the words written in thick dark black ink was still as clear as ever.

Please protect the shrine.

After taking a few seconds to digest what he read, Jaune looked up from the wood and to the towering beast before him. For the first time since they met, Jaune didn't feel any fear from it. It all seemed to click in to place.

This was a promise made with someone.

Someone had written this down as a wish and the creature before him had enrolled itself to do so. This had been a shrine after all, a place where people prayed and entrusted their wishes to.

"You...you've been doing this the whole time."

A mighty nod.

For a second, Jaune could look past his terror and see the beast for what it was, a guardian of the shrine. A place that not even the Grimm dared to thread. Past its aura of power, he could see multiple scars and scratches that littered its body. Just how long had this been there?

"And now..." Jaune took a glance back down to read the words once more before looking back up. "You're entrusting this to me...to us?"

No reply this time. The beast just watched Jaune it's body as still as a statue besides it's flowing fiery hair.

Jaune considered for a moment. The guardian in front of him was strong, it radiated power. No Grimm existed in the forest either due to its actions or just from the pure aura of it. And here he was, already exhausted from just making his way over here from just cutting down tree branches.

The differences between the two were too obvious.

"And you think it'd be okay?"

Again, no reply. It seemed the beast wouldn't make the choice for him.

If he accepted this now, there was no turning back anymore. He wouldn't be able to quit or change his mind like his previous trivialities. Because if he agreed to hold onto this, then he'd be taking over the promise on the wooden plaque.

And an Arc never goes back on their word.

But then again...hadn't he already pledged himself when he met those two Gods? Wasn't this everything he wanted to be?

A poet? He'd make his own bible.

Musician? He'd make his own hymns.

Huntsman? When wasn't there Grimm to deal with it?

In the end, one factor was what decided it: That this chance was thrust upon him in the first place.

His family was supportive, sure, but in a way that they knew he wouldn't be able to accomplish something. They'd accept what he wanted to do but there was never any support, just the knowing looks that he'd be right back where he went.

The two gods entrusted him with a mission, more forced out of circumstance than anything. They didn't really have a choice at this point. He was sure if they weren't powerless, they wouldn't be here with him.

Friends...what friends?

The sad truth of Jaune Arc's life was that this was the first time anyone had believed he could do anything. And it took a giant muscular monster to do it. Did it say he could do it? No. But it had offered the chance for him to prove himself which was more than anyone had ever expected of him.

And Jaune wasn't going to let it down.

"I'll do it."

 **Roar!**

The guardian beast threw its head back to let out a loud bellow. It wasn't the primal beastly roar Jaune expected but it sounded closer to the sound of a gong being struck being stretched out by the deep clanging of bells.

The beast gave one last look at Jaune, eyes like marble filled with expectation before it went back to the pose it had made when he had first seen it: back straight as it sat up, with one paw on the ball it carried with it.

Amazingly, its skin, which shone with a grey luster, started to turn darker and it was only after a few moments, when even its glowing mane darkened, did Jaune realize what was happening. Its expression hardened, not from any facial movements, but from the tip of its face to every muscle on its body turning into a dark grey stone.

However, as the beast turned more and more inanimate, the orb it held on its paw started to grow brighter and brighter. It was as if it was absorbing all color, all life, from the turning creature. When the process had almost finished, when all that was left was a fantastical statue, the light coming from the orb was already glowing brighter than the sunlight leaking above.

 _Could this be?_

 _It seems so. With this much power, we may at least regain our forms._

Jaune spoke up. "So, you guys will have bodies now?"

Would that mean he'd lose his weapons? Or carry them around?

 _Ha-ha! Be honored, Son of Man._ For once, the God of Darkness actually sounded excited. Jaune would dare think of it has joy. _You will be the first in millennia to witness our godly containers. Just to warn you, I may not hold back and just unleash my dragon form right here._

 _Brother, we do not want to destroy the shrine._ The God of Light sounded more retrained but Jaune could easily pick up the pure relief in his voice. _Jaune Arc, please allow us to touch the orb._

Jaune had no reason to deny their request. If what they had told them was true, they had been locked into his family heirlooms for what sounded like centuries. Did his family really go back that far?

Anyways, the light from the orb was starting to hurt his eyes so Jaune complied. He raised up the still sheathed sword with one arm and the other to shield him from the obnoxious luminosity.

He then lightly tapped the end of the sheath of Crocea Mors to the orb.

Jaune wasn't prepared to be blown back by a sudden force that could have rivaled a bomb. He didn't even have time to realize his aura had activated to protect him, immediately breaking from the force created. His whole body was knocked of its feet and landed with a thud.

He hadn't even noticed how the shrine had started to darken. Up above the streams of sunlight were softening as, unbeknownst to Jaune, the time for the solar eclipse had arrived.

All across the planet, people looked into the sky to see darkness creep up on the bright ball in the sky, light only being able to escape from its edges. After a few more moments, the dark circle centered in front of the sun, as if it was only a single holy ring that lit up the sky.

As the whole Arc family looked up at rare phenomenon, Sapphron had to wonder where her brother was. His specially made eclipse viewing glasses, framed with butterflies and glitter, were on the table unused.

As all of Remnant looked up at the sky, no one, not even the people at Ansel, noticed the explosion of light that escaped upwards from the nearby forest up to the total solar eclipse above. The beam swirled a color of purple and yellow, shooting up into the sky as if to reach out to escape the planet and reach the heavenly bodies themselves.

None were able to witness the event that happened in the small shrine which was more monumental than even the one above.

Not the Wizard in his chair.

Not the Witch in her castle.

Only one.

Jaune Arc stood up, his body aching. His back hurt like it had been smashed through a table. Still, such things didn't matter as he got up and witnessed the tower of spiraling dualities rushing into the sky. His blonde hair was blown back by the wind but his feet stayed firm as he made his way close to it. He didn't have to move far as it had taken up the whole space the yin yang symbol did.

His blue eyes stayed high above, almost as if, on instinct, he knew that something was coming. Maybe it was the way he was linked to them or maybe it was that he had been created by them but Jaune knew he was meant to witness this.

The Return of the Gods.

When the swirling lights started to slow down, Jaune held his breath. His eyes widened as he waited to bear witness to what a true god looked like.

Finally, the tower dissipated into a brilliant shower of glowing particles, both gold and violet. Jaune looked up the space above, breath still bated, to see what had happened.

He only found empty space.

Still holding his breath (and getting slightly dizzy from it), he turned his head left and right to see if he missed them. Even from the giant hole that the pillar had punched through the shrine's roof, the sky was oddly missing what Jaune assumed to be godly beings.

Maybe, it was because they were already godly that he couldn't comprehend them? Something like they'd be too much for his mortal form to comprehend?

Jeez, he really should've brought those Eclipse glasses.

Just as he was about to faint from lack of oxygen, a shrill shriek from below made Jaune gasp in surprise.

He turned to the sound of the voice to see a sight even odder than the Shrine Beast, the large pillar of swirling light, and when Sapphron tried to cook.

"Oww…"

"Just…what is this stinging sensation?"

At the center of the shrine, the middle of the now visible Yin-Yang symbol, were two girls unceremoniously sprawled across the floor. Jaune would guess a little younger than him, looking around the same as his sisters did in phots when they were thirteen to fourteen.

One had short dark auburn hair matched with soft red eyes. She wore a loose white garb that resembled simple summer dress. On her arms were absurdly loose white sleeves that reached to her wrists. Wrapped by her shoulders was a long pale cloth that ended with bronze armaments. The oddest part was the large mirror hanging by her neck along with the golden headdress that bore the symbol of the sun on her forehead.

She looked to be having a hard time breathing.

The other had long flowing inky black hair, much darker than the others. She wore a dark once piece dress with pale gold highlights thought it was hard to notice with how translucent white cloth layered over it., held up by an obsidian chest plate with two red tassels. She too wore absurdly loose sleeves, black gold highlights that matched her dress. However, the bottom of those sleeves was cut up to look like black tendrils for whatever reason. Over her head was a silver halo that didn't look to be suspended by anything.

She also looked to not know how to breath, with there were inconsistent gasps of air in between moments of stillness.

He blankly stared at them, not knowing what to think or feel as he watched both girls struggle to even get up on their hands and knees. It looked like they didn't even know how to stand.

Either as an answer sent form the literal heavens or as a giant fuck you, a paper floated down from the sky and levitated before Jaune.

He held it in both hands as he read it.

 _Yahello, descendent!_

 _It seems you have stumbled upon my biggest blunder. LOL_

 _This is Laety~_

 _So, I, like, was just minding my own business when I stumbled upon this cave. It was wicked wrecked up. Seemed like a hobo was living here. Yuck, right?_

 _Those two wanted to end the world but I was, like, no way, I had a date with this cute guy next week._

 _Long story short (I seriously hope you guys don't need to write in your time. Hurts my wrist like hezz), anyways, I sealed them up with some stuff because you can't just end the world right before a girl gets busy, right? Downright rude_

 _Anywayzz, if you're reading this, then that means you have reached the Arc Shrine. Upon certain conditions (Feeding a ton of souls, blocking out the sun), the seal will allow them to have bodies._

 _But, like, human bodies._

 _This is in the hopes that one day they can look past their own faceless faces and see things from our mortal sides. Yellow can only come out in the morning while Darky is at night unless the eclipse is still up. Something about compatibility?_

 _Also, you could use the shrine to power them up. Just, like, fulfill requests on the bulletin board and they should be able to absorb that Faith stuff._

 _Or not. Like, I don't care._

 _I'm dead by the time you're reading this._

 _Anyways, do what you want, kay? I'm seriously done with all this shrine maiden stuff._

 _Maybe I'll become a huntress._

 _Ciao~_

 _P.S. If you are reading this, then I totes succeeded in my date and was able to get the bloodline continued. Score!_

Finishing reading the letter, Jaune averted his gaze back to who were supposedly the creator gods of his world.

"Why do I feel so…limited?"

"To go from infinite to this form…"

Both seemed to have adapted rather quickly from "just functional enough to continue living" to "Looking like they wanted to stop living". The one with shorter hair was staring at her shaking hands with a face of absolute shock while the one with longer hair was as still as a statue but her eyes showed just how the very idea had burned any light within.

Before Jaune could say anything else or even feel anything about the situation, another slip of paper floated down.

 _Also, like don't die. There will be things out there to kill the three of you._

…maybe, it wasn't too late to start that dance troupe.

* * *

"I think I understand the situation now." The short haired girl, who turned out to be the God of Light, nodded her head, a small frown on her face. "To think it wasn't as easy as we'd thought it'd be."

"You humans are too wily." The long-haired girl, the God of Darkness, frowned as she crossed her arms. "To think we'd be stuck in these."

"So, you guys, uh, girls, really have bodies?" Jaune asked. Right now, all three of them were sitting cross-legged at the center of the shrine. Jaune had just explained what he had read on the letter which the two took surprisingly well.

"Why are you girls anyways? Aren't you "Brothers." Jaune paused for a moment before waving his hands in front of him. "Not that there is anything wrong with that.

"The term brothers was just something we picked up from you humans," answered the God of Darkness. "In truth, we never had what you mortals call sexual organs as that would imply the need for offspring or to pass ourselves on. Our very being was already perfect as it was so there was never any need."

"It is as my brother, or now, sister says. This must be your descendant's doing." The other sibling nodded before lightly patting her self on various places. "If it helps, this body seems to lack what you mortals call a penis just as my previous body did. Although it does seem to have a- "

"Stop!" Jaune held up a hand, his cheeks lightly red. The girl just tilted her head innocently. "You're telling me you're really, uh, real?"

"Somewhat. Watch this, Jaune." Jaune turned to the God of Light as her body started to glow into a singular color before it dissolved, leaving only a familiar sword. Before Jaune could express his surprise, the sword started to glow the same before turning back to the young girl.

The God of Light held out her arm, as if admiring it. "Currently, our bodies are actually made of your aura boosted by the bit of Faith that Guardian beast had given us. It has the same functions as any female body it just also…isn't."

"And it sounds like we can only do it during certain states of day," spoke up the God of Darkness. She turned above to the hole where the eclipse was finishing up. "It seems this body will be fading soon as it is still technically day."

If Jaune could recall, the Tale of Two Brothers went that the God of Light created in the day while the God of Darkness destroyed it all at night. that part of the fairy tale somehow related?

"Anyways," the God of Light coughed into her fist before turning to Jaune with a crimson stare. "This does not change anything Jaune. We will use this shrine as our base and, as the letter said, gather faith."

A small hand pointed to the board Jaune had seen earlier.

"Those must be the requests she was talking about." The God of Light closed her eyes and nodded to herself for a moment before turning them back to Jaune. "After we get this shrine fixed up, you and I are going to go out and promote the shrine when the sun is still up."

"Okay." Jaune nodded at that. At least that meant he didn't have to be by himself anymore when he handed out flyers.

"Also, you may call me Light so as not to confuse the citizens." She stood up, patting a hand on the mirror that covered her chest then reaching it out to him.

"Sure, Light." Jaune received her hand with his own and shook it down once. In a way, this felt like meeting the Gods again. Maybe because it he could actually see a face now.

However, instead of letting go once they were done, the God in a girl just stared at their hands that were still locked.

"Uh," Jaune awkwardly spoke up seeing as she didn't look to be letting go any time soon. "What's wrong."

"It's just…your hand is quite large Jaune," she simply replied. It was true, his hand enveloped her tiny one. Finally, she let go. Her expression was contemplative. "How odd."

Not knowing what to say to that, he then offered the hand to her sibling.

"What about- "

"That sort of thing is not my type, Son of Man," replied the God of Darkness. "If you so need it, you can call me Darkness."

"Darkness then." Jaune nodded, pulling back his hand to his side. She nodded before giving him a hard stare…which she didn't seem to be stopping

"What's wrong now?"

"You're too tall," was the blunt reply. Well, he was almost twice as tall as them. He remembered how much all his sisters complained when he had finally, finally, hit that growth spurt a few months back.

"Uhh…thanks?"

"Hmph." As if giving up on that front, the pale girl who happened to be a God sat back down. "That last note is something we should be concerned about. When sun sets, we shall do training here, Son of Man."

Before anything else could be said, the form disappeared, not in a shower of light, but in a portal of purple murky darkness. All that was left was a familiar shield in its sheath form.

It wasn't like Jaune was going to say no to be trained by a god. Today had showed him just how weak he's been. He wouldn't able to keep his promise with the beast if he stayed this way after all. At the very least, he should be able to get to the shrine without losing all his breath.

If it wanted to, he would have died.

Speaking of which,

"Hey Light. What did they mean by enemies? Is that just for the Grimm?"

"I see. You have not realized yet Jaune. You see, even if we created this land, that does not mean we are the only gods dwelled within it." The girl's eyes met his own. There was an odd lack of luster in those red pools. "Did you not think humans couldn't create their own gods as well? Creation is quite something. In fact, I do feel a bit of my power has returned to show you."

"Then you can help fix this place up?" Jaune excitedly asked. This wouldn't just save him a lot of time but it was pretty cool to finally see some godly powers up close.

"Actually, I may just have enough power to…"

Closing her eyes, the girl held her hands before her, palms faced down. In a second there was a flash, and two long objects appeared in her grasp.

"Here."

Jaune took the object without a word, jaw still on the floor from having witnessed magic for the first time. It was long, hard, and rather sturdy with one end heavier than the other.

It was a broom.

"This reminds me of the old days when I'd wake up to find everything I created destroyed." The girl that was now definitely one of the creator gods of Remnant puffed up her chest in pride, hands at her side with one hand holding her own broom. "You could say I'm quite good at cleaning things up."

Jaune wanted to ask more but the goddess was already off to one section to sweep up the dust. The Arc only had to glance up, at the huge hole on the ceiling, to know his true battle started now.

He sighed and began to work.

The floor wasn't going to sweep itself after all. Unfortunately.

* * *

 _Sisters! Sisters! The seal! They have been-_

 _We know, Brother. The seal that had long since shielded those two away from our wrath has been undone._

 _If it wasn't for that pesky mortal, they would have been defeated and we'd have Grand Authority by now._

 _Does that even matter? No one believes in those two anymore. Even their True Names had been long since buried behind fairy tales of feuding siblings._

 _Indeed, Sister. Even the spirits and phenomenon gather more faith than they. Even their own creations have grown their own Authority._

 _"Their", you say? The Grimm have long since become our own. They do not cull to destroying those under our Authority but only the humans those two had created._

 _Then what are we waiting for? Let us all now go and crush those two while they are still weak!_

 _It is because they are weak, we shouldn't attack, Brother. They would be too busy trying to regain their power while we can plot behind the scenes._

 _That's right, Sister. Even giving a mortal's lifetime, they will still be too weak to face us. To truly destroy those two, we need to destroy the bastions of their powers before they could get to them. It is a shame even we can not get to them._

 _That damn me, how goes that Witch's plots? I admit I still do not trust her. She has after all, held an Authority of Goddess in the past. Who knows if-_

 _She still foolishly believes she could summon those two, nothing more. When she has gathered them all up for us, we shall swoop them away and take the power for our own. Or destroy them in needed._

 _That will be the end of those two. And it is about time that we correct that Witch on what being a true Immortal means._

 _So, for now, do we do nothing then? And if the others hear about them?_

 _We are only after the relics. It wouldn't be sporting to not let them have their fun. Besides, if those two could eliminate the competition for us, then all the better._

* * *

 **AN: We're back baby! Hopefully no yearly updates anymore. I kinda realized it would be boring to have them be just observers/commenators so here we go. Time for some initial development.**

 **I actually have an outline this time for, at least, two arcs before canon Vol 1. Jaune's still 15 so we have time. Honestly, I was hoping to wait for a more knowledge of the Relics but fuck it we could do some original arcs before we get to Beacon. If ever.**

 **The Gods' human forms are based on Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi from Shadowverse/Rage of Bahamut. Honestly, I just really liked their designs enough I wanted to use them somewhere so here we are.**

 **RWBY 7 ep 1 is also fucking hype but I know this dance by now. So were the other volumes at the beginning. This time I'm just going to enjoy the ride and ignore all the flaws (if they can be)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the series.**

* * *

In the beginning, there was light.

Some would argue darkness was there first. After all, how could there be light if there was no darkness? Darkness was just the absence of light after all. Could such a thing exist if what defined it didn't?

For one Jaune Arc, such an answer was obvious.

In the beginning, it was truly Light that came first.

Well, if how his recent days have gone were anything to go by, light was definitely the early riser…

"Good morning, Jaune! It's time to get up!"

…much to his dismay.

Like wind blowing through the clouds, a bell-like voice pierced through the darkness that was the young Arc's beauty sleep. As if the sound's very presence brought light with it, his dark room was soon illuminated, not by an otherworldly light but simply by his curtains being pulled open to let the morning sun do the rest.

"Ugh." Jaune, refusing to lose to this being, did what was only natural: Roll over and pull the blanket over his head. However, perhaps in his sleep deprived brain, he had forgotten just who he was messing with. The fool.

A small indignant huff was the only warning he had, if one could call it that, before his blanket was forcibly torn off his body. With his protection gone, all he could do was now blearily open his eyes, slowly, as they needed time to adjust to the light shining at them.

Before him stood a god.

The light seemingly bent around this person, creating a profile of a human from where the light couldn't pass through. They stood above him like a statue with head held high, hands on hips, and legs slightly apart. There even could have been antler horns at the very top of the head too, adding to the otherworldly profile.

It was as if the being was made of pure light, no, as if light had originated from this being.

That effect only lasted for the second it took Jaune's eyes to finally adjust to the bright sun shining through his window.

Instead of the impressive image of illumination, now stood a short girl that couldn't be older than his youngest sister when she was thirteen year's old. Red eyes stared down at him, only possible due to him lying down on his bed.

He curled himself up, hoping that would spare him the day. It was futile, of course.

"Up and about, Jaune."

"Don't you sleep, at all, Light?"

"Of course, not! There's too much to do in this world to waste time resting!"

"You can't be serious. I'm pretty sure even Darkness rests."

"No can do! There's a shrine to be fixed after all."

Ugh. That was the worst part. Nothing spoiled getting out of bed more than knowing you'd spend the whole day just cleaning up a rundown shrine. However, such mortal teenager concerns did not matter to a god, especially one who needed a working shrine intact. They hadn't even touched the hole at the roof, which Jaune was sure was a good reason why they'd arrive to a shrine floor with scattered leaves in the first place.

All Jaune had done for the past week had been to wake up, sweep the place and scrub down walls that really needed to be replaced.

Just when was he going to do prophet things? Not that Jaune knew what said things were composed of. He never really thought that far when he signed up for this. Perhaps he imagined something more...fantastical? No giant beasts or Grimm had shown up since. Nor had there been any pillars of light.

Just a ton of mundane cleaning.

The only real miracle here was that he was somehow getting away with all of this. He was pretty sure he should be going to some sort of school at this point but it seemed getting back home tired, sweaty, and covered in dirt was enough to convince his mother to let him do what he wanted.

As he allowed himself to be pulled out of bed, Jaune couldn't help but think running a religion was much harder than he had thought.

Then again, this was the longest he had gone with talking with a girl that wasn't related to him by blood. Even his sisters would tell him that itself was a miracle.

* * *

The trek back to the Shrine was a lot easier than the first time they had rediscovered it a week back. When there had been an overgrowth of a small forest, now, there was a very obvious hole at the center of the foliage. Entering it would lead one to a tunnel where all branches and leaves did not exist. That had no relation to Jaune's earlier efforts but rather from Darkness just simply walking back and forth from the Shrine to where they started. It was almost as if nature around them decided to part a way for them to pass.

Still, a path was no use unless people knew where it led so the sign Jaune had painted initially was planted at the very entrance. His godly companions had mentioned that it may be better to replace it with something of higher quality but that just proved to Jaune that it seemed even gods had a hard time appreciating art. Still, it wasn't like there was anything much to get to.

The Shrine, of course, was still a wreck and definitely not something one would want any potential worshipers to see as the house of one's religion. They had been working on it all week and yet it still looked like a hobo was living in it. With all the leftover containers of food Jaune left there plus the spare mattress by the back, that may have not been far from the truth.

The path, at least was cool with how most of the trees still covered the top to create a ceiling of wood and leaves. It'd be a bit of a problem if it rained but for now sunlight above barely peeked through which provided a comfortable warmth and Ansel was in the middle of the Summer season. Jaune definitely enjoyed the morning walk as he walked next to Light. He had offered to just carry her through sword form but she seemed more than content in walking the path with him. He could only guess the ability to move after all those years must have been overwhelming.

She walked next to him at the same pace as Jaune purposely slowed down his own due to his longer legs so they could walk together. The goddess didn't look at all inconvenienced that she was only walking on her bare feet.

And it didn't seem like it was without reason too.

Every time those bare soles touched the dirt, a small ripple of light was left behind, as if she was walking on water. From the center, rocks broke out of the soil. They were wide flat rocks, smooth and perfect to step on for those that didn't want to get their shoes on the hard soil. And so, the path that trailed behind the two was of two paths, side-by-side: one Jaune walked which was clean hard earth while the one Light threaded had a pathway made of rocks.

"I'm still amazed that you guys could do stuff like that." Jaune spoke up as he peeked a glance back. "Though I've heard of hunstmen having their own personal form of magic or something, it's still surprising." Especially since none of the hunstmen he knew had anything as showy as that.

"These are not but literal pebbles in what the power of Creation can do, Jaune." Light replied, never missing a step. He'd only seen her create brooms, brushes, pails for water, and many other various cleaning tools so it'd be lying if the Arc wasn't really impressed with such a boast. That didn't stop it from being cool. "This path will be the first impression any visitors will have for us. Giving them even a few stepping stones would go a long way."

"Wouldn't that actually be my sign?"

"...that they are already coming means your sign has worked." The shorter girl politely traded. "Of course, being taken in by the sign and actually making the steps to the destination is a different thing entirely. By having this path made, we wouldn't waste any of the efforts your art has gone into calling them to us."

"You're right."

"And, that's also why we need to continue with the Shrine's upkeep." She gripped her hands into tiny fists, before nodding. "Once it's become reasonable, we'll then be able to leave and start resolving requests."

Although, exactly when would that be? There was still that hole in the roof.

"Hey, Light." Jaune took another glance at the rocks that were growing like weeds behind her. "You sure you couldn't just magic up the roof like you're doing now?"

"Hmm." What Jaune liked about the older sibling was that she at least never immediately dismissed what he said, no matter how stupid. Darkness would have just ignored him after the fifth time but Light at least looked like she took what he said into account. "Not at my current state, no."

"Then..." _What can you do?_ The boy let the remains of the question trail off. Even he knew that saying such a thing, even to a mortal like himself, was the rudeness. It wasn't like Jaune could do much more anyways. As far as being a prophet went, he still hadn't had the slightest clue.

"Right now, my powers of Creation are limited to these small materials and simple tools in what I touch." Light tapped her bottom lip with her pointer finger in thought before replying. Her eyes narrowed as she admitted her current abilities although they did seem to light up on her next words. "Knowledge is thankfully limited."

"Huh?"

Light simply shook he head. The gesture clearly showed it meant nothing to their current discussion. "The most I can do now is create the boards needed to replace the hole of the roof."

"...and that's where I come in?"

"Indeed." The pleasant smile she sent him did not suppress the almost forlorn sigh. He knew it was coming but he didn't really want to hear it. Of course, it wasn't missed. Her expression morphed concerned. "What's the matter?"

"No, it's just..."

He turned his head away from her expectant gaze. He didn't want to say that it felt like too much work as, after all, he did give his word about this. Also, that saying such thing felt slightly shameful knowing how enthused the god was. It was like telling his mom or one of his sister he wanted to go out with her but then wanting to cancel at the last second to lazy about instead.

Also, it was odd but Light had this sort of aura where disappointing her felt like he was disappointing his mom. The feeling felt almost instinctual and Jaune had to wonder if that just came with the perks of knowing she was the one who partly created humanity.

And so, the wannabe prophet, scrambled for a reason.

"Jaune...?"

"I guess I want to do what you're doing too." That wasn't a lie. Being a fifteen year old teenager who was linked to two of the creators of the planet brought with it some delusions of grandeur. It did not help that Darkness hadn't been able to train him yet as most nights she spent helping with fixing up the Shrine as well. "It'd be cool if I could at least make a rocky path, as well."

Light tilted her head.

"You can do it yourself, can you not?"

"Really?"

"Of course. Any of you humans can do what I'm doing with a shovel and a collection of rocks too."

"Oh, so that's what you meant." Jaune rolled his eyes at the roundabout answer. He released the gasp he had held in when she had agreed earlier. He had thought he'd finally be able to do something cool. "I get that but it's more about being able to actually create rocks then the rock path itself. The journey than the destination, you know?"

"...I see." At his words, Light stopped in her tracks, the rock summoning along with her. "You may be right there, Jaune. "

"Huh?" When Jaune turned back at her to ask about her words. He didn't expect his words to actually get her. If such a lousy platitude could stop her, then why didn't the same thing get him a date a month back?

"Here I am telling you to do something you can do on your own and yet am I not doing the same." In a small flash of light, Light had a small gardening shoveling her hand. Her face was oddly resolute yet was radiating something akin to understanding, maybe even literally. "I shall refrain from using my power and do it myself then."

"What? You really don't need to do this." Really. They weren't even halfway there yet. Did this goddess realize just how far away they still were? it would take hours for the digging alone. "We still have things to do at the shrine."

Unfortunately, he knew the look on her face. It was the same kind his older sisters wore when they roped him into something without taking no as an answer.

"We are still in the midst of upkeep. And this path is part of the shrine as well." Jaune didn't know how but when the goddess knelt down on the dirt, her white dress didn't get stained with soil at all. Compared to him whose sneakers were already halfway to looking like leather shoes. It took her a moment to scoop out a good mound of dirt, making a nice sized hole on the soil path.

"You can go ahead, Jaune." Her bowed head replied, as she then filled the hole with a nearby rock. "Start the sweeping of the steps without me."

"And...you'll be okay, here?"

"I'll be fine."

She watched Jaune scratch the back of his head before his gaze turned to the direction of the shrine.

"All right then. I'll see you later, Light. I'll finish the steps before you get there."

"I will see you then." The God of Light turned away from the human to start to dig another hole. To think that it would be her who needed to be reminded of the importance of Creation. Although, how just long had it been since she had created anything? When did it stop being about the joy in creating something new and became about looking after the Creations themselves?

Just when did she stop being a creator to becoming the Creator?

The soil below was hard. The tiny shovel in her hand just did not have the same power to mold mountains with a single swipe unlike in the past. The same ones that lifted volcanoes from the core could barely lift a tiny rock. Even creating this tiny path was barely considered what she'd had once called Creation. It was simple displacement of the ground and the minerals around her. It was closer to Destruction, really.

In the past week, the God had found out an odd thing about the body she used. It started with an increase in heart beat then difficulty in breathing followed by an aching in various muscles and a psychological need to stop whatever she is doing. One didn't need Knowledge to know it was what humans called exhaustion.

It was an odd feeling, she decided.

One that filled her as she pushed a nearby rock into the newly finished hole followed by filling in the edges to make sure it wouldn't be displaced in the future.

One step done.

As she dug up more of the brown dirt, something fell. The Knowledge that such a liquid was sweat filled her mind. She continued on anyways, knowing this meant the body was being taxed. The Knowledge that a nearby rock would fill this in was supplied. She found it and put it back in.

Another step done.

It was a good feeling, she decided.

Back when the planet was new, when it was still whole, the God of Light had created whatever living thing came to mind. Flora and Fauna of thousands of different species. Even just the tiny insects could have hundreds of variations on how they functioned. The only reason the planet hadn't been fully infested was due to the God of Darkness' destructive ways.

In truth, the experiment known as humans were only created, not only to stop the feud, but because the God of Light's affinity for creation knew no bounds. If her sibling cold create the the constantly evolving Grimm, then why not combine their abilities to create something that evolved and adapted just as fast only without the need for utter violence?

It was too interesting an opportunity to pass. The Creation of something new along with the Knowledge it would give was an unquenchable thirst. She had never been defined by those two ideas yet it was those same two she had gifted to humanity.

And yet, in the end, the world she had created with her own abilities, that pure world before humanity, got fully wiped out until there seemed like nothing was left of it any longer. Just a Remnant of it once was. How ironic that the creation she had offered to create with Darkness to stop her sibling's wanton destruction was what, in the end, gave Darkness the full destruction of the world she wanted.

Watching it all burn away after she had first left it...that was the closest the God had felt to this feeling of exhaustion. To watch all of her efforts come undone in a single moment.

Back then, it had also felt like this feeling as well.

How exhausting.

How tiring.

This whole exercise in moving the earth and filling it with rocks was the same.

Exhausting. Tiring. Yet different.

Just why did she Create in the first place?

She didn't even realize a hand had grabbed her own until it had completely overlapped it.

"Here, let me do it."

A voice suddenly broke through her small reverie. She hadn't even noticed she had stopped digging. Or perhaps, she hadn't noticed her body was getting too tired to continue.

Jaune moved himself into where she was, exchanging their places as well as grabbing the shovel from her hand. He was already displacing the ground when he turned to notice Light was still staring blankly, kneeling besides him.

"What?"

"I honestly did not expect such compliance." Her face lacked the surprise her tone lightly betrayed it. Instead, it showed a knowing look. "What made you come back?"

"I'm not sure." Jaune turned back to the ground below him. There were many reasons why he stayed. It'd be stupid to leave his sword behind. It'd be faster if both of them worked at the same time at one job. Perhaps it was just that his sisters' brainwashing had finally come through so Jaune just couldn't stand still while a girl worked in front of him. Curse them!

"I guess I just couldn't let my Goddess be. After all, isn't that what a prophet's supposed to do?" Jaune went with the simplest answer instead. It was something he had been thinking about this whole time but it had come to him when he had watched the small girl's figure and decided it was much too lonely for even a god.

Just what was a prophet supposed to do? Did they single-mindedly obey their Lord? Did they wield awesome powers and performed miracles to spread Their name? Did they act as the Gods' mouthpiece?"

He shook his head. No, it was much simpler than that.

"No, isn't that what partners do?"

Crimson eyes widened slightly as small pink lips formed an "O". Eventually, they crinkled up, sparkling like small rubies under the starry light. If Jaune had been looking her way, he'd have easily mistaken the flush on her face for exhaustion too.

"Partners, huh? To proclaim yourself, equal to a god..." Instead of sounding offended, the God of Light in the visage of a human girl sounded more amused than anything. Enough that the chime of a bell left her mouth. No, it was just that such a noise was too pretty to be called anything but the ringing of delicate bells.

"Huhuhu..."

Her pretty laugh had Jaune flush slightly. He really hoped that was a "with him" one even if he wasn't laughing himself. "W-well, that's what we are right? I'll be your prophet to help you guys out while you guys help me out when you can too. That's being partners, right?"

That was the answer he had reached. Right now, the best he could do was to help these gods out.

"So it is, isn't it?" Light nodded, a small smile on her face as she got up. She sounded, what he hoped, to be satisfied with it. There was also a new spark of something in the normally polite tone, one of barely-restrained excitement. "Do you want a larger shovel?"

"Please."

Immediately, a more standard-sized shovel was handed over to Jaune as he got up from his kneeling position. He could at least dig without needing to kneel down with this one. The smaller one was then pocketed.

"Then I shall find some rocks to fill those in with, and if none are left, I shall create them. But only as a last resort." Light explained. "After all, if we relied on that too much then that would defeat the whole purpose."

"That's a good plan." Jaune nodded, engrossed in his work. The soil was harder than he thought it'd be. "I'll be fine over here. Let's create this path together then."

"Yes. Let us. I shall look for rocks over there then!" An odd giddiness was in the girl's voice as she went off to find some rocks before he could protest. He'd have been worried about her going off but Darkness had assured there were still no Grimm within the forest. Rather, it was more likely he should worry more about himself seeing as how he only didn't have much in weaponry.

 _Light is too excited as usual._

Speaking of which...

"Oh, you were there?" Jaune spoke out loud as he continued his shoveling. "I thought you were resting."

 _I am. I only wanted to investigate why the strain on our power use lessened._

It had become known to the Siblings that when one was using a body, the other had a hard time keeping awake even when in their weapon form. It seemed the first time had been the sole when they were both weapons, it was easy to converse with the two.

"She was never this hyper before." Jaune remembered how his first impression of the God of Light was more of a patient, wise, man. The one he knew as Light felt more or less the same but was more what he'd describe as driven and responsible than actually excited for things as she seemed to be now.

 _Being in a human body affects us who have never felt limitations such as tire or even those chemicals that produce emotions. Well, my sibling has always been like that when creating things._

"Oh yeah. Doesn't the story go that the God of Light loved creating living things as much as you hated seeing them? Didn't she create things every day?"

 _No human would truly know what had happened back then. The reason it took days for a being like ourselves was because my sibling had gotten too excited about Creation. There was no end to the madness that was brought forth. The reason I destroyed at night was because I had acknowledged there was just too much for one planet to handle. Some things shouldn't be brought to life at all._

"That's a bit overreacting, isn't it?"

 _Count yourself lucky my Grimm had long since eliminated the Spider Horses as well the Clown Trees._

"Never mind." Jaune tried not to shudder. He failed.

 _Imagine, Son of Man, trying to paint a blank canvass without previous inspiration. Then imagine that canvass being millions of square miles large. That is what my sibling had created in what humans would consider a day. Every inch was taken into account. Every being as well was designed to play a role._

 _"_ That's a lot of praise coming from you."

 _...do not misunderstand. While I will admit to Light's ability, I am not envious at all. With Creation comes the burden of Knowledge. One can not just simply create a tree without knowing how it works._

"Well, if you created something then that means you know how it works." Jaune dug another hole, throwing out the dirt to the side. "I get that, at least."

 _Then can you try to conceptualize creating water or trees without them ever having existed?_

"That's...no." Jaune admitted. He actually stopped for a moment to think about it. How did one create a tree without having previous knowledge of it? Or how did one create about water and all the rules and cycles that came with it. He could barely write a song without plagiarizing at least half a dozen popular ones.

Such things were just so part of everyday life, of being human, or even of this planet that it was hard to imagine a world where they were first thought up by a person. one would think it'd come from some sort of natural selection process.

"It sounds hard. Did she really do all that herself?"

 _Son of Man. I hold no regrets about leaving my sibling be to create as I destroyed. So, there is truth that when she created, I was not beside her._

In the beginning, there was Light. And only Light after all. To destroy something had to be there in the first place, inversely one can create when there is nothing at all.

Jaune recalled how Light and Darkness mentioned they had resided in separate domains. Sure Light had other humans around her but would one really consider those equals? When they were worshipped and asked for favors?

What was more alone, the one who went out to seclude themself purposely or the one who was only surrounded by the toys they had made?

"You really care, huh, Darkness?"

... _Cheeky human. Has all that labor fogged up your mind?_

Jaune didn't say anything. Didn't need to with the grin on his face. He's been in enough sibling spats to recognize care. The twins were exactly like this when they fought, both refusing to acknowledge the other but yet still clearly showed worry. The original tale had made them sound as if they were the antithesis of each other but didn't he feel the same whenever he got in a fight with his sister?

 _Hmm. Our talk is over. Don't tire yourself out too much for something this trivial. We may be able to finally begin some training._

"Yeah Yeah." Jaune nodded before realizing what the shield had said. "What really!?"

After no reply for some time, Jaune could only go back to work, more excited than ever. Soon, he heard the litter pitter patter of feet coming close.

"Jaune! I've found a good haul of rocks." Light ran to him holding a large pile of rocks in between her crossed arms. They almost covered her face which made him wonder how she was able to see.

Waving over, he told her to fill in the holes he made.

It looked like they'd be done, as his mother would say, in a jiffy.

* * *

As Jaune sat at the top of the steps of the shrine, finally reaching it for the first time that day, he couldn't help but wonder if he should ask his mother to redefine what jiffy meant.

Because, right now, all he could do was watch the glowing orange hue of the low sun light up the canopy of the forest below. It was as if the forest was on fire.

Although, what was truly on fire were his muscles. Digging for a whole day, carrying rocks back and forth, then cementing down on the holes he created was a full-blown work-out. His hair was wild and his body shined with sweat. His whole wardrobe was covered with dirt and grime.

Next to him sat Light. She was the total opposite of his condition. Her whole dress was still impossibly stain free. Her sun-looking hair ornament was still aloft perfectly combed dark. The only thing that really gave it away was the flush of red on her face along with the sweat on her forehead.

It had taken up the whole day to finish what could have been finished in possibly an hour of walking. Even from up here, he could only spot the parts closest to the stairs followed by some of the path when the canopy opened up. It really wasn't anything special. They were just rocks he had placed in front of each other until they arrived at the shrine.

Yet was it really that weird to feel so proud of such an accomplishment? When was the last time Jaune Arc had seriously put himself into something like this? Maybe his failed dance troupe but he wouldn't be here now if he really did try there now would he?

"That was quite fulfilling, wasn't it Jaune?"

"Yeah, I guess it was."

Well, the goddess next to him seemed more pleased than usual. She wasn't wearing the polite smile she'd wear whenever a day of cleaning ended. Like how his mother would smile when he showed her his report card and said he tried his best. Or maybe she was just too tired to care for such pleasantries.

It'd be a lie to say that smile on her face wasn't genuine though.

Not that he himself wasn't sporting his own self-satisfied look. Although, that may have been partially his wheezing lungs. Even if he hadn't meant it earlier, the seeing the path to the the shrine he had helped create did end up more satisfying than if he had just let Light make it with her powers.

Was this the power of his scriptures? Maybe, he was getting better at this prophet thing, after all.

"I don't believe I've ever worked so hard on something." Jaune turned to the goddess next to him who was staring at the setting sun before him. "Not since we gods both created you humans."

As predicted, her face was flushed from exhaustion. Her whole body aching was a new experience, feeling discomfort from places of a human body she had never had before. The heart, that was meant for simply flowing blood, felt like it was about to ram itself out of her chest.

The God of Light had never felt this way before. Knowledge supplied her the word: Alive.

After all, she had been immortal. There was no beginning or end. Being alive for them simply meant a human's soul was not in the mortal plane. Was this how their creations truly lived? Always on the brink of just disappearing? Stuck in this meatbag of a body that was just constantly dying? How frightening. How impossible.

How amazing.

Millennia ago, the God of Light learned to love Creating life. After, the God of Light learned to look after its creations. Yet this may have been the first time that the God had appreciated it's own (shared) creation.

"Humans really are amazing."

She watched at what was simply the rotation of the planet in coordination to their location caused the image of a perpetual explosion in the deep void of space to dip into the horizon. She had always loved that light in the sky which was why she had created only in the day. Even as she knew this body was fading away, it was breathtaking. Now that she had breath to take, even more so.

"This world has such amazing sights, does it not?"

"Now, that's just bragging." Jaune laughed. He then noticed her slightly wobbling form. "Though you sure you're not tired?"

It was true that while Jaune had been the one to do most of the work, she had been the one to look for stone after stone. It may have been better to have it the other way around but she had Knowledge on her side which made locating things easier.

"Tired?" Light tested the word on her lips. That was something Jaune always complained about at the end of the day but now it was her he was asking. It did seem so.

"Here." He tapped his lap, a gesture the Knowledge within her explained immediately but Jaune did so anyways. "You could rest on my lap. My sisters do it all the time."

Especially when they lie down on the couch when he was playing a video game. Whether older or younger, it was apparently his prerogative as their brother to allow them to rest on him no matter the place or time.

Seeing no harm in it, the goddess scootched over to her prophet and then laid her head down on his lap, her face looking directly up at him.

It was then a large palm moved aside the headdress on her head and started rubbing the top.

"You did good."

"Eh?"

"You did good, Light. You did a good job."

It was something Jaune had gotten ingrained into him by his sisters. When lying on his lap, all his little sisters wanted to be petted while the only reason his big sisters would go to him was the need to feel appreciated. Such a thing was done without thinking. They had truly brainwashed this poor lad.

Meanwhile, the being formerly known as the God of Light stared back up at his warm smile. It was the first time she had heard such words in such context. Thankful? Sure, after she had helped a follower. Appreciative? Should be. But congratulatory? Not yet. Not for something she had done.

But then again, would such words matter to a God?

Yet she could barely be called one now so such words did. They drew a slight gasp from her as she stared at this human in wonder. A warmth not unlike the Light she used to carry warmly smoldered in her chest. Not even the Knowledge within her had made her know how much she had wanted to hear such words from someone.

Odd, she didn't remember creating humans to have such a function when lying on another's lap? Then again, these were already a different wave of humanity from the initial ones they had created. Even so, prior to Jaune's claim it only made her body even more tired. Her heartbeat sped up quicker while the flush on her cheeks got worse, both signs of exhaustion worsening.

How peculiar. It wasn't an unwelcome feeling though.

Maybe, she was more tired than she let on. Tired from moving around in this mortal body. Tired from having been sealed from who knows how long. Tired of creating things to only have them be destroyed. Tired of giving humanity chances only to see how they failed each one.

Was a god allowed to rest? Didn't that one religion claim theirs did on the seventh day? She knew Darkness rested all the time though her sibling would never admit it.

"Then, if I am tired, may I rest with you?"

Jaune looked down, not expecting such words from the typical busybody god. He hadn't thought he'd ever seen her rest since...he had woken up the sword. Even when she was cleaning, she never stopped. Eyes as pure as roses stare up at him, almost as if he's the deity who could grant her wish. Jaune couldn't anymore see the god trapped in being a little girl but just a little girl trapped in being a god.

Of course, his answer was immediate. None of his sisters or his family needed to brainwash or condition him to say what he said, this was all Jaune Arc.

"Anytime you want." Jaune nodded with a grin. "Let thy will be done, mine goddess. Rely on your prophet for times like this."

"Then I will, my prophet." Light took one last glimpse at the sunset before closing her eyes. How long had it been since she simply stared at that setting star? The image was already fading but she knew she'd be able to see it again, will see it again tomorrow.

With the excitement of the day fading and the tire of the day and past millenia, catching up, the God of Light, for once, allowed herself to indulge in just a bit or rest. And by the time the sun had already set in the sky, all that remained in Jaune's lap was a his sword, naturally warmer than usual.

* * *

 **AN: I rewatched the Ozma ep but I think people shit on GoL too much. I get he goes MUH BALANCE but he mentioned that was only in conduction with humans, I believe. I mean, it's not like they Salem and Ozma had made their choices. It's odd that it's Salem and Jaune who are the ones who are foils to each other that volume with how they learn to deal with death.**

 **Wanted to add Darkness' part but I feel it'll be too much at that point.**

 **Next on the list is some training, some town requests, and maybe an actual fight.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own neither the series nor the characters.**

* * *

It was night when Jaune had arrived at the shrine once more.

Tonight would be when he'd start his training or whatever Darkness had mentioned. Sure, he still felt a bit tired but the excitement was enough to tide him over. He waited at the center of the shrine. The only illumination was the moonlight coming from the hole in the roof. He didn't have any armor, just his usual sweater jeans combo. The sword Crocea Mors was in his hand, silent.

He had been waiting for a while now as Darkness had told him that she was preparing something. Finally, after what felt like forever, she reappeared.

"Now, Son of Man. It is time I reveal why I've been reserving my powers for the past few days."

Jaune actually never noticed. Still, he nodded and went along with it. The God's face took on a smug expression as she raised one arm to the side, as if presenting something to him.

"Behold, human! The Grimm that started it all! The Premidorial that all Grimm stemmed from!"

On reflex, Jaune raised the sword in front of him. Such was the power the word Grimm had over mankind. He held the sword up awkwardly over his face horizontally. He waited, his body tense knowing that such a strong enemy was close. However, no attacks came. Instead, all he heard was the sound of a low growl.

"Gooo..."

He looked down to the source of the sound.

There, by Darkness' feet, was a shiny ball of black. It looked like those slime from his games only this one was pitch black and had glowing red eyes. It continued to growl at him even though it didn't have a mouth, it's body just slightly vibrating. With how those two red orbs were scrunched up to look like a V, it must have been glaring at him

It was also barely larger than a soccer ball.

Jaune could only lower his sword in disbelief. This was the first Grimm even created?

"It's...adorable?" Seriously. Even his sister's teddy bear was creepier. God damn blank beady eyes.

"This is the first Grimm I created, dubbed the Goo." Darkness didn't seem to mind his lack of awe from her creation. Instead she bent down and patted it. If Jaune had any doubts it was liquid come to life, they left him as the Grimm practically melted under it's master's touch. "They used to be the most common Grimm out there."

"Riiiiii..."

It purred as Darkness rubbed the top of it's slimy looking body. It's eyes even turned up to become curved lines. Now he didn't even know of he wanted to fight it.

"I believe those are the only two sounds it could make which is why you humans dubbed my creation as the Goo-Riim, or the Grimm. I always called them my Harbingers of Destruction but it was much easier that way." She glanced at Jaune who was giving her a befuddled look. "Don't look at me like that, human. I still don't understand why you call the Avians of Atrocity Nevermores."

"Sure." Naming aside... "So you want me to fight that? It doesn't look so tough." Thankfully.

"It's less of fighting and more of surviving." Darkness turned back to Jaune. Deep purples eyes glared back, lips curled menacingly. "As the first Grimm I created, these Goo are special."

It was then Darkness lifted her foot, winded it back, and punted the Grimm across the room. Jaune wasn't sure who was more surprised, himself, or the Grimm as it cried out in pain from it's creator's actions.

It sailed across the room before dropping on the ground with a thud. Then, as if it was from an RPG, it made a point of making one last breath before collapsing into a literal puddle of black goo.

"So did you notice something human?"

"Uh...we're going to start off with learning kicks?"

"Fool. Look at it's remains."

And Jaune did. All that was left was a miserable pile of dark liquid...but didn't Grimm leave no remains? It was then the surface of the puddle rippled. Once, twice, then, something looked as if it was emerging from under it. The puddle beneath grew smaller as if it was being absorbed by the being below.

Finally, another Goo rose from its remains, the puddle underneath gone.

"That's..."

Seeing Jaune's horror, the God of Darkness smiled. "That's right. These are less actual creates than containers of pure essences of darkness. Once they pop, they spill it over the ground where the true Grimm crawl out of."

"Goo!"

It purred victorious. Its blobby body even leaning toward as if raising its head in victory. It then noticed the two off. The body hopped to them until it made its way back to Darkness' side. There it stood at the ready, as if the goddess hadn't just trashed it's brethren.

"So that's where the Grimm came from?"

"To be more accurate, this is the original Grimm." Darkness nodded to herself. "The forms you now see them as? Wolves, Birds, Mammoths. The reason why most Grimm look like my brother's creations was because these Goo had absorbed enough of them to replicate their shape."

"But not all Grimm are animals." Jaune remembered reading about Grimm that could posses or even those that took the shape of creatures straight out of fairy tales and myths.

"Not all of my brother's creations exist anymore. Creatures have existed far before you humans were created. Don't you remember our first visit to this shrine?"

Jaune nodded. That's right. The large guardian beast that had guarded the shrine wasn't a Grimm yet was clearly not a common animal.

"These were normally the size of your average human dwelling." Darkness petted the Grimm, and this time it's purrs were more frightening then cute. "It is only because of my limited power that it has come out this size but that makes this perfect for training you."

The Grimm turned it's red orbs to Jaune and started lightly bouncing in place.

"While I may grow stronger by absorbing Grimm, right now, you are too weak to fight even the weakest Canine of Carnage."

"Huh?"

"I believe you humans call them Beowolves." Darkness shook her head as another sigh of resignation left her lips. "So for now you shall face this Goo and attempt to survive it."

"Goo!"

"This one is weak enough not to kill you after your aura is broken but has only enough Darkness within to summon another similar Goo on the off chance you kill it."

"Aren't you underestimating me?" Right as Jaune said that, a blurry blob bulleted towards his chest much like his younger sisters knowing he came back with candy in hand.

He simply swatted it to the side.

Sure it was fast but it was nothing compared to someone who got the highest scores on the DDR machine of the local arcade. He was just too-

"Goo!"

From behind him!? Jaune turned back to see to see the Goo he thought he swatted aside somehow behind him.

'F-Fast!' Could it be that body he felt wasn't swatting aside the Goo but the Grimm using his arm to jump over his body?

Getting serious, Jaune held Crocea More in both hands, his feet spread apart in a pose he'd only seen in movies. He literally had no idea how to use a sword against anything, especially such a small target.

Before he could even think about if a vertical swing of his sword could reach it, the Grimm moved. It shot forward this time keeping low on the ground.

Jaune swung down, even having to bend lightly for the short sword to reach the floor. However it was in vain as the Grimm slipped past it's edge and in between the gap in his legs.

Jaune tried to recover and turn once more but a heavy thing smashed down on his back. With him already bending his upper body down, it made it easy for the Goo to send him face first to the floor.

That same hit caused his body to flash white, his minimal amount of aura already broken. As if to add insult to injury, the Goo continued to hop on top of him in victory.

"Goo...Riiiiii!"

A victory cry.

Darkness approached Jaune's front, his face flat on the ground. She bent her knees, lowering her butt close to the floor. If he looked up now, he'd be able to see up her short dress, but his face was kept flat on the ground groaning

Even then, in such a position and lowing her tiny body, she was looked down on him.

"Perhaps you are right, Son of Man. I may have underestimated just how weak you were."

Jaune could only groan.

* * *

"So how was your training with Darkness? I apologize for resting but she had been using quite an amount."

"Honestly? It was a huge blow to my pride." Jaune could still fell the sore spots all over his body. He wasn't even sure how he was able to wake up today. "Well, it's only hard in the beginning, right?"

"I suppose." Light did notice, eyes looking over him in concern. "Are you well enough to continue with our goal today? If you need rest, then we can postpone for now."

"No, don't worry about it." Jaune shook it off. Sure it was discomforting but he did not want to stall this any further. "At least, we're finally done with fixing up the shrine for now. At least, what we can."

Most of the shrine was now mostly renovated. It really needed a coat of paint plus a new roof. Materials were both too many for Light to produce on her own I'm her current state so they decided to headstart the task of gathering power.

"I have already prepared what we needed." Before the goddess, was a wooden tower made up of stacked blocks, the same kind of block the Beast had given to them. Each one also had a paper pasted on the front and topped with a loop of string. "With these, the people of Ansel can now ask requests. Then we shall fulfill them within reason."

These wooden plaques were to become the bridges of Humanity and the Gods. By hanging them on by the board of the shrine, it was meant to symbolize the faith that the Gods would reach their prayers.

Of course, here, it would become a literal mission board as the Gods were able to physically help now.

Jaune placed each one in a backpack he slung over his shoulder before turning to the goddess beside him. Hopefully, this will go better than when he had gone out and simply handed out flyers.

"Hey, Light. Have you ever been given any unreasonable ones.

"...a few." Light tapped the bottom of her lip in thought. "Bringing back the dead for one thing. Or to lay waste to an opposing kingdom. Or simply create a person in their image."

"But you CAN do stuff like that right?"

"It is not about what we can do, but what we must." Light responded sagely. "We are also very much limited right now, as you may know."

"Then what are we allowed to take then?"

"We can take whatever they want. Hopes and wishes left for us are also signs of Fath." It was then that the small girl handed one plaque out to Jaune. "Now, here."

"Huh? Me?"

"You too are allowed to write, as well." The God beamed up at him yet her words were oddly withheld. "I would also like your request to be the one I will first grant."

Jaune stared at the wooden block. If he were to write it before he met the gods, he'd put it down wanting to become a Hunter. And if it was even before that, it would to go becoming strong enough to be a hero.

Right now...

"I'll hold onto it for now. You've already done plenty. Both of you." Idly, Jaune turned away while he pocketed the plaque "i still have to fulfill your own request after all."

"Very well." Light politely nodded, knowing eyes turning back to the pile of wood before them. "Then let us begin our gathering of faith."

* * *

"Hey Darkness, not that I'm complaining, but will you ever teach me how to fight?"

It'd been about a week since they had begun this training and all Jaune had learned was to hate that Gooey monstrosity as he was turned into it's punching bag. He hadn't been able to touch it once, and even then, his weak strike would bounce off the thing.

Sure, it felt like he was getting better at reacting and dodging but he still has no idea how to swing or even hold his sword properly. While he'd watched enough movies to know how the trial by fire training style worked, it'd still be nice to learn some actual forms.

Of course, he could just have signed up for a training school or even found some intructional videos online but he was already busy enough in the morning as is. Also, there was barely any reception here. Something he really needed to fix.

"Hmm? Since when did I say I would train you to fight, Son of Man?"

"Since...well...Isn't this training for any big bads that would arrive?" Surprisingly, none on that front yet. The closest was his call at the dentist and Jaune still swore that man was a devil. "I can't just be dodging all the time, right?"

"Why not?"

"Huh? Aren't I supposed to fight back eventually?"

"I see..." Darkness' face stared at him befuddled. "You seem to have misunderstood. I am only here to train you so you would survive, not fight."

"Seriously?"

Darkness nodded. "In truth, I do not have any idea on how to fight or use your human weapons. You are better off asking Light about that if it Knowledge you seek."

"Huh." Plopping down to take a seat, Jaune hadn't expected that answer. That was disappointing but he'd lie if he said these sessions had been worthless. He'd admit that facing a Beowolf still sounded intimidating. "I thought you'd teach me some moves and stuff."

"Child, you have to understand that a God does not fight." Darkness' reply was absolutely serious. "To fight means to be on equal grounds of some kind. Even the smallest of insects can get in a fight with the largest of Grimm, no matter how ineffective it is. To fight a God would be like fighting the Sun itself."

Not just an impossible battle to win but one that couldn't be made in the first place.

"Such things are trivial to a god. Even if all of humanity went against us, one attack from myself would wipe out all of humanity in a moment. Even so that would be less of an "attack" and more of a reaction."

"You're exaggerating." Even for them, it sounded too much for a single snap to have wiped out all of humanity...

"Believe what you wish." Darkness crossed her arms and leaned back as if to sit down and, amazingly, floated in the air. "Either way, I have nothing to teach you of battle. That I give you opponents should be enough."

"But what if bad guys show up? I'd need to know how to fight them, right?"

"Just run away."

"What about Grimm? Don't I need to beat some up to get you stronger?"

"Admittedly, that is true. We'll save that until my sibling gets stronger." Darkness huffed. "Light disappeared from overuse without a battery. We first need to make sure this shrine is up and running by then."

"I guess." Jaune rubbed the back of his head, visibly downput. Sure it had only been a week of this but the montages in movies felt like it should be done much faster. The expression caused a single twitch on the watching goddess' brow.

"Are you questioning me, Son of Man?"

"N-no. It's just that only doing this is sort of...repetitive?" said Jaune, his last word more of a guess than an answer.

"It has only been a week and you still have yourself constantly losing to the Goo."

Who knew training would require doing the same thing over and over again? Jaune surely hadn't expected such a commitment but he did need to save face.

"I didn't say boring! Just..." Jaune looked for the word under the questioning gaze of the girl before him. Something then came to him. "If...As your prophet, shouldn't I be more impressive? You know! Represent how amazing you two are!"

Jaune knew it started to work when her stare turned from harsh to pensive. It seemed all little siblings were weak to flattery. He started to lay it thicker.

"As the prophet of the creator of the Grimm, it wouldn't reflect well on you if even your weakest creation sends me running."

"Hmm...you do have a point there." Thinking over a moment, Darkness finally nodded. "Very well. There is something else we can do in between these nightly sessions."

Yes! Hook, line, and sinker.

Before Jaune could even celebrate, the world around Darkness started to spin. Dark winds blew beneath her in a circle. Her dark raven hair flowed out from behind her and from within Jaune swore he saw the image of stars and heavenly bodies within the curtain of darkness.

"Rejoice, Son of Man. For you will be the first in your race I shall return that once I had taken back: the power of Magic will once again flow within your species once more."

Jaune's eyes widened at the proclamation. Did she just say magic?! Was he really going to learn how to do actual magic!?

He could only imagine all thing things he'd be able to do.

Launch fireballs, createe glaciers, Drum up whirlwinds, Raise plants, throw lightning bolts...wait, weren't these things he could do with dust anyways?

W-well, it was still magic! The bullshit excuse of any writer. Finally! The benefits to this prophet gig were starting to show!

"Th-that's awesome! You're the best Darkness!" Jaune hollered, previous exhaustion gone hearing the news.

Darkness blinked in surprise once before her head titled a little higher, an extremely pleased look on her face. Clearly, she hadn't expected such compliments...or was used to hearing them.

"W-well, you can praise me more, I suppose."

"Hooray! Amazing! Best god ever! Would worship! We should make you a statue!"

"Th-that's enough." An oddly red-faced Darkness covered his mouth with her hand, only possible with the way she was floating. Though the small palm could barely hide the large excited grin on the boy's face. She moved back and that stupid smile remained unchanged.

"However! This does not need to mean you shall slack off on your survival training. I expect you to destroy at least five goo successively before we even begin."

That did put a damper on Jaune's mood. He could barely kill one let alone three at once. However, at least here, he had a goal. His delusions of finally being the hero he's always dreamed about were too close to becoming a reality for him to pass up.

"I'll do it!" He met her gaze with his own, full of resolve. This was his best bet to get stronger. He wouldn't back out now. "I won't let you down."

"S-see that you don't then." With those last words, Darkness retreated to be replaced with another Goo. It growled menacingly, as much as a dark piece of jelly could.

Jaune just readied his sword, magic at his fingertips.

* * *

Magic?"

"Yeah, Darkness offered to teach it to me if I did better at training."

"Hmmm..."

Today had promised to be a slow day for the two. A grocer needed someone to look after her stall for the day which led to the two of them looking after it.

Much like Jaune's expectations, most of the things they'd been doing to help the town had been mundane jobs. Small towns like Ansel were used to the occasional hunter passing by in need of free room at the cost of some help so such a thing wasn't too out of the norm.

Still, it had been a better reception than just simply handing out flyers. People turned out to be more receptivr to take it and visit the shrine if you gave them free labor.

And now that it looked like they had some time to themselves, Jaune decided to ask Light about his last training session.

"Hey, Light. Can't you teach me magic too?"

Light shook her head. "Unfortunately, it is not something I can help with. Magic has always been Darkness' gift to mankind. One which she took away in the past."

"But don't you do magic all the time?"

Instead of giving a straightforward answer, Light went with a different approach. "What do you believe Magic to be, Jaune?"

"Well," Jaune scratched the back of his head. "Fiireballs and stuff, I guess. Also, what you do where you summon things out of the air. Basically, you can do what you want and just call it a single word."

"You're on the right track. My own powers actually stem from Creation and Knowledge. To create even a rock, I need to know things such as it's composition, the chemicals that make it up, each molecule's placement in the universe, the.displacement of the matter where it had existed, the exact dimensions that I want and more. And that's for a non-living being."

Next, she gestured to the food before them they were meant to sell. Ansel's classic Potato Cream Puffs. They were like a hash brown but filled with cream.

"Much like the food before us. By following the rules, one can create such treats." She pointed to potato used for decoration followed by to what it turn into, the puff itself. "With the Knowledge of the workings of existence, a rock can be formed from pure Faith much like these Puffs can be formed from potatoes."

"So basically, you just have the best cookbook in the world?

"If you want to put it that way." Light nodded, satisfied Jaune somewhat got it. She also didn't look at all offput by the very mundane metaphor of her powers. "Now, my sibling's own power stems over Destruction and Choice.

"Choice?"

"All things can disappear. If that's the end point of all then what you do in between is Choice. As my sibling is the gatekeeper to the end, it can be said she has control of the routes to the destination."

Jaune nodded along but it didn't answer his main question. "So how is that magic?"

"What the humans called Magic at the time was simply Darkness giving them more potential to choose. Magic lets you do more, not with yourself, but with the world around you." She nodded back to the potato. "To go back to our metaphor, right now the only thing people can do is purchase the Puffs. But with Magic you can purchase the potato."

"So...it's eactly what I said. Basically, do anything you want."

"I suppose." Light giggled. "However, even with more choices in life, you still need to find how to reach them or create ways to get them. Just because you can now order the potato doesn't mean you know you can or that you know how to."

"Okay, I get all that.' Jaune nodded in understanding but there was still sometbing bothering him. He could understand if if there was no magic these days, as it could have been lost to time but..."But why did she give Magic before anyways?"

"That...I can not say myself."

The two then continued their shift in comfortable silence

* * *

"Ah."

"Ah."

The impossible had occurred. Such an occasion even had both man and god synchronize in surprise. Both even had matching expressions although Jaune's was the more slackjawed of the two while Darkness' had a lack of belief.

"Riii..."

Ignorant of the shock between mortal and eternal, the Goo gave one last moan before it dissolved into a black puddle. It hadn't even been a fluke. Just a well timed slice had gotten the Grimm as it was mid-jump.

"I...I did it."

"...so you did."

Contrary to what the God of Darkness was suspecting, Jaune Arc did not whoop or holler. He did not make any large celebrations. Instead he simply stared at his sword, his expression more intense. It was more mature than the God has expected but, then again, there was nothing mature about the goofy smile he had on his face.

She ignored the twitching of her own mouth.

"Do not celebrate too much. You will now need to do the same four more times in a row if one deems themselves worthy of being blessed with my gift once more."

Yeah, but, wow. I can't believe I was able to kill my first Grimm." He seemed so overwhelmed by this first step that Darkness wondered if the boy even remembered their deal. Jaune paused before turning to her, apologetic. "Uh, no offense. I mean..."

"It matters not." Darkness waved a hand. "As creatures formed of Destruction, it is only fitting they too can be destroyed. Besides..."

Then, like a fat gelatinous Phoenix, another Goo rose from the puddle.

"...Destruction only begets Destruction."

The newly formed Goo hopped its way to Darkness' side where she once again allowed herself to pat it. It glowed under its masters' attention. Anyone else would have found the sight charming if one didn't know that such a thing was a Grimm.

"I still find it hard to believe that's a Grimm. Sorry, THE Grimm." Even Jaune found himself smiling at the cute creature's actions even if it did best him up for the past hours. "If only all Grimm were like that."

"From my past experiences as a shield, there is something different about the Grimm since my brother and I had left back then." A complicated expression entered Darkness' face, a combination of frustration from not knowing something and annoyance that she didn't know about it. "They are much more...tame."

Tame was not the word Jaune thought described the blight that was trying to make Humanity extinct. "You consider them right now tame?"

"Of course. I created them after all." Darkness nodded serious. "From what I can tell from previous experience, the Grimm right now only come after humans who are experiencing negative emotions."

"That's...right." Or from what Jaune heard at least.

"When they are really supposed to be going after all of my sibling's creations. Nature, animals, and really anything that can be considered living," added Darkness which made Jaune's face slightly pale at the thought. "I'm not sure if this is just a natural evolution or someone had reconditioned them to do so. Either way, once my power has returned, I'll make sure they are back the way they were."

Jaune had no idea if that was better or worse than what he had now. Frankly, he didn't want to find out.

"Do you really dislike Light's stuff that much?"

The only response he got was a sidelong glance before the goddess continued, completely ignoring him.

"My preferences aside, the Grimm have always meant to keep on check my sibling's more eccentric creations from overrunning the planet." Jaune didn't even point out that she didn't deny his question. "You humans weren't the first dominant species, after all. At least, I had my hand in creating you all. The Grimm today, however, have just become too plentiful. Perhaps a good culling would do."

The Arc wasn't surprised with how the goddess practically announced genocide to her own creation. After all, she had told him she could get stronger by absorbing defeated Grimm. Did all this just come with being a being of Destruction? But then that begged the question...

"Hey Darkness. Do you actually have anything you like about this place."

Her immediate response was a raised eyebrow partnered with a tight frown. Jaune immediately got to explaining himself.

"I mean, there has to be something you actually like that-"

"The moon."

Jaune's babbling stopped at the sudden reply. Instead of expounding immediately, Darkness looked up to the night sky, through the hole where the fractured moon above shone.

"Tell me, human. Have you ever wondered what a full moon would look like? If that wreckage of a memory up in the sky wasn't broken apart?"

"To be honest, no." He had seen images, of course. The idea of single moon had been thrown around in science fiction novels. So it wasn't something that's ever interest Jaune who was too into comics and games.

"I see." When she turned back to him, an incredibly bitter smile was on her face. It would have been heartbreaking if it didn't hold a trace amount of pity directed at him. "It was a truly beautiful sight."

The God of Darkness then went back to staring to the celestial body, ignoring the sounds of the footsteps that told of the boy moving on from this discussion.

It truly was a shame what happened to the moon. The sight of it's ever evolving phases was the only thing that kept her company in the long distant past.

Back when the siblings still feuded, the silver light of the moon was the only thing she could enjoy of this plane. At the time, all she could do was bring about disasters and calamities, diseases and outbreaks.

Of course, no living being would dare approach her.

It was still the time when the very concept of death and mortality was still young. Creatures were naturally immortal. Only her Destruction was what brought an end to things. Then when the planet became even too much for only her, she spawned the Grimm to do her duties.

But before them, moonlight was her only companion, her first one. Perhaps why she had unconsciously made them weak to silver light. (There was also that she didn't ever want them to be able to harm her brother.)

Of course, this had all been forgotten. When Man was created with both Creation and Destruction, so too did other beings after naturally expire. This made the Grimm redundant but they were never meant to leave the Grimmlands.

When the time came when the Brothers left, Darkness made sure to destroy the one thing she loved the most. As a punishment to the future inhabitants that they may never see such a sight and, simply, because that was what the God of Darkness was: Destruction.

And to think this was all because of that vile Witch...and Darkness' own weakness. Then again, was it so wrong to be wanted? All she had wanted was a follower who went to her, not her brother or a replacement.

To not be a satellite that people only saw the use for reflecting a faraway star's light.

Even now, it was the same. Light was the one out there, gathering the followers while Darkness' was secluded to the shrine. She doubted she'd be able to get followers this time around, as well.

Maybe, not a million but...

Suddenly, an odd rumbling sound broke Darkness' melancholy and, embarrassingly enough, it came from her. The reason being that the foodbag the humans used was reacting to the oddly attractive scent nearby.

She turned to see Jaune holding up something golden brown with a flakey texture

"What is this meant to be?"

"Uh, potato?" Jaune waved it a bit in front of her, making the food look even more enticing. "Specifically Potato Cream Puffs. An Ansel classic. You won't have us beat at spuds...or so my dad tells me. "We've been working there for quite a while now and the owner usually gives us extra. Sorry, I only remembered to get for you now."

Darkness continued to stare, no, glare, at the temptation. "I do not need sustenance."

"Yeahs, you're not getting much of that here but it tastes good. Think of it as thanks."

"Thanks...?" Finally, the Goddess accepted the treat in her hands, even if that was more out of the pure confusion upon hearing such a word said to her.

"For the training. I mean, I just killed my first Grimm! I can still feel the rush.. Not that I've turned into a bloodlusting maniac but...I do feel stronger now." Jaune bore a genuine smile down on her. " And it was thanks to you. Huh, what's wrong?"

"No...I..." For once the goddess found it oddly hard to formulate words as she looked down at the gift given to her. It was her first time to get an offering, after all. An odd heat seared through her and she had to wonder if this pastry much hotter than she had realized. "Are you really thanking me for having you get beaten up?"

Jaune grunted. "That'll turn around soon enough. You'll see."

"Perhaps." Daring, Darkness took a small bite out of the fried foods given to her. Immediately, she took another and another.

She hadn't even realized Jaune was staring at her until she turned to him with a cheeky grin on his face.

Feeling accursed heat rise to her pale cheeks, Darkness hid her mouth behind the rest of the Potato puff.

"...Cheeky Human."

Before Jaune could say anymore, he was blindsided by the return of the Goo.

It was a good thing that it did as there was no way she'd be able to tell him to get back to training with crumbs scattered around a tiny smile.

* * *

"Hey Jaune, have you...grown taller?"

"What do you mean, Saph?"

"I mean, you feel so different now. You wake up early and stay out till dusk. You're still on this weird cult thing-"

"Not a cult."

"And what's this I hear about you helping the town?"

"Just spreading my doctrine."

"Well, it's working. Just came back and everyone is talking about you these days and how responsible you've gotten."

"Do I even want to know what they used to think of me?"

"Nothing good but nothing bad. I don't think anyone here thought of you at all. But now everyone is talking about how my brother helped them out and how you were opening up the old shrine. We haven't had this much buzz over something since ol' Bessy gave birth to twins calfs. Mom's been real proud, though I don't know if it's just because it's too late for her to disprove. Anyways, congrats bro."

"Aw geez. Thanks Sis. I did have doubts but I've really grown into my role."

"Also, I think I know why. There's also been talk of you doing this cult stuff with a strange girl not from here. No one knows who she is but that she wears off clothes and will grow up to be a beauty."

"Ah...that's..."

"Jaune. As your sister, I will tell you now. If you're starting a cult just to get with a girl, it's best to give her up now. Some girls just ain't worth it."

"You know it's not like that."

"I really hope it isn't. Trust me I'm just thankful I got Terra to give up Goth."

"...weren't you the one who went Goth for a while?"

"And that's why it was great she gave that up. Couldn't stand doing that for another week."

* * *

"Gah!"

Jaune fell to the ground. His last attack had cost him. He had over extended his swing allowing the Goo to finally get past his guard and smash into his side.

As the fourth goo he had faced, it was also much larger than the ones before it. Jaune had only realized that now that he had finally gotten to the third some summoned from the pool after two previous Goos had been defeated.

Perhaps it was just his impatience showing after finally getting this far that he his overreached. Already the Goo had vanished in replace with Darkness, herself.

"You came close, human."

"Yeah." Jaune's reply betrayed a lack of disappointment in his recent failure. He had just gotten too used to losing by now. Whether it was from tire or focus, there were fewer complaints from the boy. "Just give me a moment to catch my breath before we begin again."

It really was a shame that he had lost his aura by the second slime. It had been a week since their agreement and Jaune had already gotten used to the speeds and tricky movements of the Goo. As he expected, the whole "throw you to the wolves" training was starting to bear fruit.

It was still slow. He celebrated taking on three Goos back to back yet when he had looked it up, students from Pharos were taking on packs of Beowolves at this point.

But considering this had all begun about almost two month ago? It was still more than he had ever expected when he picked up his family heirloom in the basement.

Well, he'd like to think that even if there weren't gods sealed in his weapons he'd have still trained and gotten into Beacon without much fuss.

However, it'd be a lie say this wasn't taking its toll on him. He had to wake up early in the morning to help fix up the shrine then spend the rest of the day doing odd jobs around time. This was them followed by his training which usually lasted until midnight or so.

He had never really had a "full day of work" until this last week.

Thankfully, the shrine was actually almost finished up. The grounds had been cleaned up and de-weeded. The building was now made up of mostly new polished wood accompanied by a new pair job. The steps were all remade. They even had a donation box now (not that they needed it)

It was really that hole that was the roof itself that needed to be finished. Jaune had even considered just expanding it and making it open air but, of course, one can never predict the weather.

Then once that was done, he knew he could double down on his training...although he also had to open up and maintain the shrine too now...Bah! He'd cross that road when he'd get there.

For now, he just needed to catch his breath for a moment or two. Just a quick nap then he'd get back to training.

After disposing of some more dead wood that was of the old shrine building, Darkness came back to find a sleeping Jaune laid across the floor.

The God of Darkness could only sigh. Really what was she going to do with this human?

 _Darkness, isn't this enough?_

She turned to the sound of the voice, a lightly glowing sword that Jaune had been using to defeat her creatures.

"Whatever do you mean, Light?"

 _I mean this fooldhardy training._

"Do you not wish the boy to be able to defend himself?"

 _I'd rather he be able to not fall asleep from exhaustion. Rest is something important both for God's and mortals alike._

"So what are you suggesting?"

 _Perhaps, you can lighten the training? Or even have some of it done during the day while more repair is done at night._

"I refuse."

 _W- What? But why?_

"This is just like you, Brother. You speak of honest deals yet you do not see how they immensely benefit you more than I."

It was just like when they had created humanity. The God of Light had spoke as if Humanity would be their greatest creation yet it felt it was only hers. Whether intended or not, living would always choose life and creation over death. Her always surrounding herself with the Grimm also did not help matters.

It always felt like she had been cheated from the beginning.

When Darkness had given them Choice, it was less about giving them autonimity and more that she wanted to make it known that if, when, they chose her over her sister, it was truly their own action, not from the Authority or influence of either God.

The current situation was much the same.

Of course, humans would operate more during the day while they would rest at night, Jaune Arc included. This, of course, meant Darkness had less opportunity to be in human form while her sibling had the whole , true, Light hadn't decided on such rules, Darkness still found herself cheated.

Besides, the boy wants this. I am not forcing him into anything. I'm sure if he could go all night, he would. Besides, I have doubts that he'll be okay with killing any of your creations.

She felt a smile of satisfaction grow on her as the sword did not reply to her words. That was one thing Darkness knew she had over her sibling.

The things Jaune Arc did in the day, it was out of duty and responsibility as their prophet. The training he did at night was something he, himself, truly wanted and desired.

While he was surely growing into enjoying his duties, nothing would truly replace his dream of proving himself through getting stronger.

While Light got the outside to believe in him, only Darkness' training had him learn to believe in himself through his own growth as a fighter.

"Why don't you just let him sleep in more?"

 _To waste daylight? Never!_

"He sleeps through a portion of my time! You just want to hog him!"

 _A-am not!_

"Hmph! This is just like the time with the Unicorns!"

 _This is different! My prophet needs rest._

"Our prophet, you mean."

 _...that's what I meant._

Just as Darkness was about to retort, an idea popped into her mind. She vaguely remembered where such words came from

"Fine then, dear brother, I concede. Just for tonight, I shall give the boy rest. It is fortunate I had been told of a way that made resting more effective."

Darkness then went over to Jaune and got down on folded knees beside his head. With a surprising amount of care to not wake him, she lifted his head and placed it on her lap. Her dress barely reached the lower half of her thighs so she had to hike or up a little more to let the full head rest on her short upper legs.

His blonde hair was much softer than she thought it'd be as it tickled her bare thighs.

"Oh, it's not as heavy as I thought."

 _Darkness! What are you doing?!_

"Can you not sense it? I am giving him what he had given you those weeks back"

The sword continued to flash dangerously but that's as much as it did. The God of Darkness ignored it, instead looking down at the surprisingly gentle face of the boy as he slept.

Feeling an odd urge within her, she poked his cheek which got a few mumbles from him. How annoying.

He may have been the reason he and Light had fought but he was also the reason they had been able to fight at all. It had been too long since their last squabble.

Plus, he didn't even hold anything against her for her deception.

Were all humans like this? She doubted it. Her brief stints with humanity involved getting tricked by one then destroying the remaining. The rest was being used as a weapon followed by as an heirloom.

It was the first time she had been able to really interact with one. If more were like him back then, perhaps she'd have not been so trigger happy in wiping out all of humanity.

Or maybe she would have still gone through with it because of how infuriating he could get. With these odd human emotions he brought forth from her body. she didn't think she could take more than one of them.

Perhaps, a million followers was too much for now.

Jaune mumbled once more.

Yes, one was more than enough for now.

For the first time, the God Of Darkness felt satisfied where she was. Of course, it'd be nice to have all their power back but that would eventually come back. These days, Destruction came if one waited enough. There was no need to hurry things up.

Purple eyes gazed up to the cratered moon as a pale hand rubbed away blonde forelocks from skin. Next to her was a another offering her follower had given her, something called fries.

It wasn't as beautiful but it would do for now.

Later, a confused Jaune woke up, a shield beneath his head and a pouting goddess kneeling next to him.

* * *

 **AN:** **I still wasn't sure how to portray Darkness. In the show, he just seemed like a dude who got easily jelly but still seemed to care. Darkness here is then unused to the attention, belief, and trust Jaune puts on her. It's kinda sad in away but much like Light needed someone to rely on Darkness needed someone to rely on her.**

 **And, yeah, Jaune's meant to be super nerfed (not that he was OP in canon). He can only take a single hit before his aura breaks. This Jaune will still be (technically) stronger than pre-aura V1 Jaune as he started training at 15**. **There's still room for growth from him and the Gods but** **that will still be in a bit.**

 **Next, we're finally wrapping up this preclude arc up with Jaune's chapter. Though dunnow if it'll be two parts or not.**


End file.
